At Sunrise I'll See You
by Sapphirewaterfall
Summary: AU. Takes place in Harry's fifth year. But, a voice inside my head said, Perhaps Reg is right. Perhaps the Potter boy has taken to like you. And maybe, just maybe, you, Karisstania Rebecca Black- half-sister of Regulus, Remus, and Sirius- have taken a liking to your brother's godson. Perhaps you've taken a liking to Harry Potter. I promptly told the voice to shut up.
1. The Pureblood Gathering

**At Sunrise I'll See You**

**Chapter One: The Pureblood Gathering**

**Karisstania's POV**

* * *

"Karisstania Rebecca Black!" Mother said, in that all too familiar shriek. She's standing a few feet away at the front desk of Gringotts Bank, tapping her silver heeled Vintage Pureblood shoes.

I move quickly across the marble floor, coming to stand behind her. Unlike some of my low bred classmates, whose parents use their children's full name when reprimanding, the Black family addresses a distracted member by their full name, better to show the nobility and honor of having a Pureblood surname.

As I lessen the paces between us, I can see that my mother is pleased. Goblins and muggle-borns have stopped their day and turned to look at my profile. Mother's eyes glint in approval as I hold my head high amongst the onlookers.

Back straight, I level the goblin in front of us with a steely gaze as I approach. This, along with countless other acts, is what I've been taught to do since the day I could sit up on my own.

"Walburga Black," Mother snapped at the goblin. I feel my eyebrows rise in acknowledgement. Of course- for weeks Mother's talked of nothing but the Pureblood Gathering that's being held in our home this evening.

Mother and I gait with our heads high as soon as she aquires the heirloom trinkets that she loves to show off at every chance, walking like true members of the Noble Black family. I look down my nose at the half-breeds and, I daresay, _mudbloods _as we finish our day's shopping trip.

"Come now, Karisstania, we'd best be home in time. I must inform Kreacher of the dishes that are to be served at the Gathering." She looks around Diagon Alley with a scowl. "Better to be ridden of these filthy half-breeds."

I take her forearm to Disapperate home. Away from these nasty creatures.

* * *

Screaming from the main floor is very clearly heard as I dress in my Gathering robes. I idly wonder what dish was burnt this time; putting the heavy silver Black crested earrings on.

"Just what we need for the Gathering," comes the sarcastic remark of my half-brother. Regulus stood at the threshold of my bedchamber, wearing a masculine version of my attire. Midnight black robes that match our hair color, elegant silver markings that show of our Pureblood name, and more solid silver that's placed fittingly at our shoulders, wrists, and, as female, my waistline.

I smile. Regulus is the only one in the house that I'm comfortable around to allow such a non-regal act. We are still proud while doing it, though, and that's what makes him my favorite brother. "What has Uncle Cygnus done now?"

"Oh Cygnus has done nothing this time," Reg corrects me. "Mother's just had word from Aunt Bellatrix and Narcissa. There's been a change of plans."

I raise a brow. "What is it, Reg?" Surely the Gathering's not been canceled. It has taken place on this exact date, at this exact time, and in this noble house, for centuries.

Regulus shakes his head in disgust. "The whole family will be attending tonight. Every Black and any guests."

It takes a moment for this news to register. When it does, a gasp unthinkingly leaps from my mouth. Every member. Every squib and possibly muggle spouse, disowned blood traitors that at least have the rightful blood but have stained the family, every half-breed created amongst it all. And worst, my brothers.

Sirius Orion Black and Remus John Lupin, which I do not and have no intention of remembering. I have already heard wretched things of what has become of them.

Technically, they are my half-brothers only. My mother, Walburga Black, married Orion Black, her cousin of sorts, and had Sirius and Regulus.

My father was John Lupin, the same father of Remus Lupin. John Lupin was pure, thank goodness, and he and mother had me fifteen years ago.

Orion Black knew of everything. Orion, whom I call Father, was actually quite pleased, saying that Mother added Black Pureblood with Lupin Pureblood. He calls me his diamond among pearls.

Mrs. Lupin had passed away when my half-brother Remus was a young boy.

I had privately felt sorry for the family, and slightly awed that my biological father loved and stayed with his son even though the boy was a, from what I heard, werewolf. I even felt bad for the death of his mother, and how my half-brother coped. But I dared not ever say these things aloud, for it is not done to sympathize a muggle-born and her half-breed werewolf son.

"Mother is furious, as you can hear," Reg continues. "I don't blame her, for that blood-traitor of a brother will have to attend this evening."

"Wouldn't he skip it?" I guess. "Even I know he loathes us as we do him, why would he want to come to a party of ours?"

Reg shrugs. "Some ancient spell I'm told. Apparently, this is the five hundredth year of the Gathering. Every century the spell commands all Black members to reunite. Unless at death's door or having another join the family in birth or marriage, one will die if they do not attend. Only Blacks and truly chosen guests are permitted to come."

"But they'll be _murdered_ if they come!" I protest, which we both know to be true. The Black's are not at all shy about disposing what they think is unworthy, especially if these creatures trespass in their own house.

"Careful, Karissa," Reg's voice has an urgent note to it as he quickly glances out into the hall. I immediately know why. A Black who is concerned about the safety of a non-worthy is deeply frowned upon. And, as the family had made quite clear and I am extremely proud to proclaim, I am certainly a daughter of Black, a Black member.

"Just get ready," he says finally. "Get ready and I'll meet you at the banister. Kreacher will be in shortly." With that he touches my shoulder in a brotherly manner and leaves the room.

* * *

"Mistress looks lovely," Kreacher's throaty voice tells me as I stand in front of the wall sized mirror. He is piling my long, sleek hair into an elegant cascade.

"Thank you, Kreacher."

"Kreacher," I say after a few moments of silence. "Who do you suppose Sirius will bring? Do you think he'll be coming at all?" Between death and us, it honestly would not shock me if he chose death.

"Kreacher does not know who the blood-traitor Sirius will be accompanied by," the elf says, combing out a long strand. "Kreacher does know that the shame of a Master will bring someone, though it is hard for Kreacher to guess who. Perhaps that filthy half-breed whom he cares about so much, young Mistress?"

"Perhaps," I say, though I have no idea whom is being talked about.

"There," Kreacher says happily, standing back. "Young Mistress looks noble and lovely. Kreacher hopes she is pleased with Kreacher's work, Miss."

I smile at the elf who had been one of my, though really quite boring, playmates as a child when Reg was gone. "I love it, Kreacher. I'm sure it will show Sirius and his company how noble real Blacks are."

* * *

I meet Reg a quarter of an hour later at the grand staircase that leads down to the main floor, where the guests and Gathering will be held.

"A true Lady of Black," my brother says.

"Likewise, dear brother."

He elbows me very quickly and lightly, in which I laugh a short giggle.

Music of royal begins to play, signaling the beginning of the Gathering and our cue to appear as the children of hosts.

I take Reg's offered arm, and we descend the stairs with our heads held high, entering the majestic gathering of purebloods and whatnot.

The party is very refined, which surprises me. I had thought there would have been a number more curses being thrown, but apparently, the ancient spell also made each Black and company immune to each other's spells. Somehow whoever made it guessed what would happen in the future. Huh.

The main floor is huge. An enormous marble ballroom is on the right, occupied by many as they dance to old and magical songs, every step perfect and extravagant. On the left there's the sitting space of all the decades old furniture and centuries old portraits. In the far corner, or rather small wall-less room, is where hundreds of dishes from every country imaginable is being served by Kreacher and several other house elves that usually remain hidden as they go about their cleaning in the rest of the house.

"Karisstania!" Someone calls, and I see Aunt Bellatrix making her way over. She kisses both of my cheeks in a proud manner (how she manages that I have no idea) and takes my arm. "It's time for the meeting, we must meet those filthy creatures until we can be rid of them for the rest of the night," she says, disgust dripping from her voice.

She leads me over to a large circle that consists of half the people in the room. All Black's, with one person accompanying. I take my place next to Reg and our parents at the head, as hosts. Bella goes to her husband close by. Next to her I can see Narcissa with her husband, Lucius, and Andromeda with Ted Tonks.

"Now that we've all gathered," Father says, eyes circling the group in disapproval. "It is time for the introductions and naming's." This is where every Black must state who they are, who their guest is in the circle, whoever else they have brought, and name any children or current spouse. I had never known the purpose of this, but apparently it was something Wizarding Royals did years ago.

Many of the Blacks have brought their wives and children. Marious Black, the squib, was met with cold remarks and sneers. He brought his muggle wife, and daughter, whom is a witch.

"I suppose your blood is somewhat cleared from the dirt stained," Father said.

Andromeda only brought her husband, as well as Narcissa.

"My son, Draco, is practicing for his Quidditch team. He's a master on that broomstick of course, could even play for England if there weren't all those half-breeds on the team."

Someone sniggered loudly, and everyone turned to see who it was.

I felt my breath freeze in my throat. There he was. Sirius Orion Black.

He really did look similar to Reg and me. Dark hair that's as long as Reg's, pale skin of a Black, tall and slightly muscular but not exceedingly so.

Just like a Black.

"Sirius," Lucius sneered. "Tell us, how have you been after that trip to Azkaban? Done you good?"

"Would've done you a lot better, Lucius," Sirius snapped back. "Seeing as you'd be there right now if you hadn't used half your Gringotts money to buy your way out. Though you're used to doing that, eh? Isn't that how Draco got on the team?"

"How dare you!" Narcissa shouted. Lucius looked ready to kill my oldest brother.

"Now, now," Father said. "We can't fight here, as there is no use. Sirius, hurry up, boy, tell us what's been going on and let us move on. Who is that with you?" My father's voice held none of the patience obtained during conversations with me. And it wasn't because of the age difference.

Sirius glared. "I'm doing just fine, Father," he sneered the word. "I am not married, have no kids, and this here is Remus Lupin." I muffle a gasp. My brother. Both of my brothers. "And I have brought my godson, Harry Potter."

There is a snapping chatter that breaks out. Harry Potter? Enemy of the Dark Lord, whom mostly everyone here supports? I really don't see what the fuss is about on either wizard, but I am still stunned of having three of my half-brothers here. I look them over, and I can't help but see the slight resemblance I have to Remus Lupin. Though Black hair is thick and wavy, mine is made up of dozens of curls like the tiny golden ones he has. Even standing, he also looks far more balanced than any of the Blacks. So that's what I got from my father.

"Ah, Remus Lupin," Mother says. Her expression is neither welcoming nor cold.

"You are then the half-brother to our Karisstania, then?" Father says.

Sirius and Remus snap their gazes to me, as well as most of the group. My head is still held tall.

"Our Karisstania has taken after Regulus," Mother tells the group, voice proud. "Both honorable children of Black."

Sirius snorts again, and Narcissa drawls, "You certainly wouldn't know anything of being honorable. Would you, cousin?"

Sirius, Remus, Andromeda and Ted Tonks glare.

"Come on, Remus, Andy, Ted," Sirius said. "I'm going to go find Harry. This little meeting is done anyway." Which is true, Sirius was the last to introduce.

The rest of the group breaks up, and I try not to glance at Remus and Sirius for the rest of the evening.

After two hours, I've already been obligated to dance with a few others. I smirk at the memory. If nothing else, I am known to be the most skilled and graceful dancer of the Blacks, never tripping up or tiring, and since the dances only stop when one partner has a misstep or falls out of the dance's grace, I'm always the last one standing.

I make my way over to the food area, my feet a bit sore from eight dances directly back to back. As I move though, I feel my leg twist mistakenly, and am soon falling to the ground.

_No! A Black does not trip! What if a suitor spots me on the ground? What would become of a graceful reputation then?_

These thoughts are the only things I'm capable of as I fall. I nearly cry out in anger.

Then, suddenly, an arm is around me, and I'm being spun in a modest circle back to my feet. It's nothing extravagant as many of the male Black would perform, and I do not hear the sound of mocking laughter of the daughter who is known among the pureblood world for grace and dance.

I look into the face who, hate it or not, has saved my reputation, and am immediately struck by surprise.

How could I have not noticed this young man before? His looks weren't jaw-dropping like some of the well-know suitors, nor were it childishly cute like the young ones.

He had a thin, handsome, fair skinned like dawn face. Not so it appeared he was ill, but more gentle. Not at all like the pale skin of Blacks somehow. His eyebrows were thick in strong yet thoughtful lines above the brightest green eyes I had ever seen. They weren't freakish green, as some suitors had tried to color theirs and ended up looking like a muggle Dark Vader or something of the sort, nor were they plain green. They were sparkling, and a delicate mix of dark and light. His hair was as black as my robe, and was, quite frankly, something that would scare little children if only appeared as a shadow. It was very messy.

Sparkly Eyes dropped his arms when I was again balanced and I was surprised to see not mockery, but slight amusement and concern on his face. "Are you alright there?"

I answered a second too late, still trying to wrap my head around why in the world he wasn't booming with laughter and running off to tell the other guests. Even a muggle would do that, for Father announced our entrance as, 'The intelligent, strong Regulus Arcturus Black- honored son of Black, and the beautiful, graceful Karisstania Rebecca Black- superior dancer and daughter of Black'.

"I am quite fine."

"See you around then," the boy said kindly, starting to walk away.

"Wait!" I said, catching up to him quickly. "Don't you want to know my name? You did just prevent my face from ending up on the floor, after all."

"I know who you are," the boy told me, his tone still wasn't superior. "Karisstania Rebecca Black. My godfather told me."

"Oh," I said. Not many of the younger people, especially boys, listened that closely to names. There are so many. "Well, then, who are you? I don't recognize you, I'm afraid."

"Harry," he said, reaching his hand out to take mine. We shook, and I was again surprised. Usually, the pureblood wizards will be much too formal or hold on too long or too tightly. The muggles and half-breeds whom I am sometimes forced to shake hands with would have sweaty or scratchy hands. This boy's, 'Harry's', was comfortable and his handshake was brief.

"That's not fair," I tell him, my eyes becoming the slightest bit harder. I am a Black, after all, and a good looking nice boy isn't going to change my appearance even for a second. "You've been told my full name, but I have no idea what even your last name is. So, let's have it, then."

Harry didn't look intimidated, like I had hoped, or annoyed, like I expected if the first failed. He smiled a tiny smile, a smirk threatening. "I'm Harry, then. Harry James P-"

Harry James didn't finish, though, because suddenly my father's voice was booming in a silenced room. "I think it's time, ladies and gentleman, for the annual Mid-Dance."

The Mid-Dance is a dance that takes place in the middle of every pureblood party, and is where the most pride in dancing is shown. The winner, or last couple standing, gets the honor of having that title.

I look over to the Harry boy, inspecting him. Tall, not freakishly so, healthily slim, and is obviously quick on his feet from the scene he did moments ago. I smirk. "Would you like to dance with me?"

He seems surprised, and a bit sheepish. "Er, sorry, I don't dance, especially not in front of this many people."

I raise a brow. "Why not?"

Harry shrugs. "I'm not that good for one, and I don't fancy making a fool of myself. Sorry again." He actually seems sorry.

"Let's test the non-dancer's Cruciatus skills!" One woman cackles.

Harry looks to the direction of the woman, a revolted look on his face as he watches her take out her wand, and turns back to me. "How long will it be?"

My smirk widens. "I should think not too long, Harry." It feels odd calling someone by their first name when I've just met them. I want to ask his surname again, but then he might weasel his way out of the dance. And I'm curious as to how he is.

"Just saying," Harry tells me as we head to the ballroom floor. "I really have no idea how to dance."

Then why in the world did he agree? What's wrong with the Crucio anyway? All in good fun really.

"There will be a few minutes before the actual dancing," I tell him. "We can practice then."

We find a place and I'm relieved to see he at least knows the dancing position.

"Now what?" He asks curiously.

I'm still smirking. "Try and keep up."

I begin at expert level, twisting and spinning gracefully so that in seconds he has gotten dizzy and fallen to the ground. I have no trouble laughing here, since most of the other dancers have hooted as well.

Harry picks himself up, looking annoyed.

"Give up, then?" I say, and almost thank the Crucio woman for telling a crowd to look around for people to join them.

"Not yet," he tells me.

We dance a second time to the same song, and he makes it a bit farther at this time, before tripping at a sharp move and staggering back.

Many people on the dance floor are laughing now. Harry is flushing slightly.

"Here," I say hauntingly. "I'll dance alone for one song, you try and look around and get down the technique to be somewhat graceful, then we'll see how you do." I have absolutely no doubt in my mind that he's going to fall when the Mid-Dance starts. A nearby witch gives me a smirk and nods amusedly.

"Alright, I'm watching," Harry says. He's standing off to the side, still within view.

Another practice song starts, and I move complicatedly and gracefully, sugarcoating none of the dance. I can feel Harry's eyes watching me, and am somewhat warm inside. It is not the intent lusty gazes of other boys his age, nor the polite gaze of someone else.

"Still have your head on, there?" I call to him condescendingly. He rolls his eyes and nods. The last practice dance plays now, and he watches one more time.

I walk over to him with a few beats left of the song, and he is looking over at a nearby couple whom is still dancing.

"You were supposed to be watching me. Not that complicated, Harry."

"I was seeing what I'm supposed to do," he tells me. "I don't really think you want me to learn to girl part, do you?" he smiles slightly.

I roll my eyes. He presses his lips together to mull his smile, looking down slightly.

And suddenly we're laughing at the stupidity of his little joke.

"Alright, ladies and gentlemen, the Mid-Dance shall begin in seconds. Places if you please."

"Try not to trip," I tell him. We go into dancing position, waiting for the music to start.

"No one will really be watching right?" Harry says quietly. He's a bit nervous. "I mean, most are dancing and the others are with that- that woman, right?"

"Mmm." Doesn't he know that most guests bring company because of the dancing? Half the room will be watching. Poor boy, he's going to fall in front of everyone.

The music starts, and the movements are slow. Harry keeps up. He's even managed a bit of grace as he leads me.

The song begins to rise, movements with it, and I'm stunned yet again. Harry dips me quickly but gently, I spin in front of him, and his arms are there, ready to catch a fall. When there is none, they become something that surrounds me, like the stars and moon. We slide, I spin, and he guides me at a harmonic rhythm. Usually, I'm the one leading, or the one my partner has to keep up with. I have no idea what Harry saw, but whatever it was it made him faster than me. Smooth. I'm actually out of breath because of the movements, though I've done this dance countless times before with Reg without breaking a sweat. I feel like a bird, being lifted by the wind and moving in a majestic, smooth manner above the world where trees clash and people snap and curses fly. I'm exhausted, but so full of energy that I don't ever want to leave Harry's arms. Harry, whom I've just met. Harry, whom treats me like a sister and not as something you just look at. Harry, who has the most unusual personality I've ever seen. And my Father has insisted I meet quite a few people.

The rising melody suddenly stops, soft notes slowly climbing to what will be a climax of the performance. Our foreheads are almost touching, and I can see that his is a bit moist as well as mine. One arm is around me, the other in my hand in the air. He is slightly lifting me off the ground, and my feet don't ache as much as they should on full ground.

I glance around without moving an inch, and am shocked to see that we are the only ones on the dance floor. I can see some people at the food table. One woman is sleeping in an armchair. A large group though, is surrounding the dance floor. Most of the room. Staring.

On the very edge I spot Reg, and I can see Sirius and Remus standing close by. They all are wearing unreadable expressions.

"Should we stop dancing?" Harry whispers. He seems nervous at everyone's gazes.

"No, we have to wait until we fall, or if the song ends." I have no idea when that will happen. Usually my partner and I have fallen, but we'd be the last ones.

"I don't know this part of the song," Harry says. He looks sheepish. Why in the world would he be guilty?

"It's the man's melody," I realize with a start. "The music will change completely, and you'll have to lead me."

"But, Krissy, I have no idea what-"

He never got the chance to finish his sentence, for the music abruptly changed, and I squished his hand in mine to tell him to start moving.

And we do. I haven't the faintest idea how he knows, but soon we're dancing again. And I'm in the air, but Harry's with me, and all I can think is, _How do you know? How can you dance this good? I would have heard about you before._

When the song ends there is complete silence. We're both breathing hard, but I doubt the crowd can hear.

Then, there's cheering. Respective clapping and some whooping in the back, and a cousin of mine saying in a loud voice, "And here are our winners, ladies and gentlemen!"

Harry and I find a gap in the crowd. We quickly leave the marble floor and enter the sitting portion of the room.

"You didn't tell me it would be that long," Harry says. He's not accusing, just embarrassed.

"I didn't expect it would be. And why are you embarrassed? We won. What, you didn't want to be seen with me for that long?" I really don't think that's true, but I want to see how he reacts.

"Of course not!" Harry says. "I just was surprised. I mean, we hardly know each other, and from what people say, you have a reputation for dancing. I-"

"-can dance." I gave him a hard look. "What was all that about 'I can't dance' or something?"

"I didn't think I could," Harry admitted. "I thought I would trip or something and then we'd be out, which was a possibility. Why did you ask me?"

How did he sound simply curious, if only a bit suspicious? Wasn't he annoyed or cocky?

I decide to steer the subject away. "Well, you obviously know a thing or two about dancing. In case you haven't realized, we won, and there's no way magic could've helped you. The floor's enchanted so no one can put a dancing charm on."

"You come here a lot?" Harry asked.

I raise an eyebrow. "What are you talking about now? I live here. Of course I come here."

Harry looks surprised. "You- you live here? But, that doesn't-" He's looking at me with a mix of suspicion and wonder. Suspicion is a bit stronger.

"Karissa."

We both turn to find my brother walking over, following him is…my other brothers.

He comes to my side, and Sirius goes to Harry's.

"What game are you playing at?" Sirius demands, looking steadily at Reg.

"What?" Harry and I say together. Sirius just goes on.

"We have to come here for this bloody party, and then you set her on trying to do whatever it is you do with Harry?"

"Sirius, we were just dancing," Harry explains.

"Harry, they've hated us for a while," Sirius says. "Clearly there's something going on if suddenly their daughter asks you for a dance."

"Now who says Karisstania asked the boy?" Reg retorts. "For all we know, he could have been the one who tried to turn _her_ against **us**-"

"That's ridiculous. Harry hates dancing."

"Sure didn't seem like it when they won."

"Sirius, Regulus," Remus said. "It was just a dance, clearly neither of them are turning against us. Let's just leave it be."

"You honestly think they weren't up to something, Remus?" Sirius was incredulous.

"What would they be up to?" Harry asked. "Sirius, they're Tonks' cousins, why would-"

"Excuse me?" Reg interrupted. "That muggle-born is our cousin, but you'd best refer to us as Blacks."

"Is that a threat, Regulus?" Sirius said furiously.

"Wait, what's going on?" I cut in. This is the first I've said in the conversation. "Of course we're Blacks. I thought you knew who I was. And why in the world are you two with Harry?" I addressed Sirius and Remus now. "What's he to you?"

"He," Sirius was glaring at me now, "is my godson, thank you very much, Karisstania."

"He-" The sentence died on my lips. Godson. Harry. Harry _Potter._

"So," Harry said slowly. "You live here, you're Sirius' niece, or?"

Regulus turned to Harry. "Karisstania Rebecca Black is my _sister_, Potter. Surely you've heard of the story?"

Harry's eyes widened.

"I think it's best if we get going," Remus said. The man looked the weariest out of all of us, as if he were the adult stuck in a room with furious, hot-tempered children. "Sirius, Harry."

Reg and I watched the three go.

"Sirius made it sound like he has not seen the boy look like that to anyone," Reg said carefully. When I looked at him, he was still staring at the spot the three Disapperated from. "Judging the expressions of Sirius and Remus, it almost seemed as though they thought Harry enjoyed dancing with you." He looked at me intently. I did not like the look in his gray eyes. "If I didn't know better, I would say that Harry wasn't the only one who's developed a crush within the hour."

I turned away, walking in the opposite direction.

It's not true, I tell myself. Har- _Potter's_ probably nice to everyone. Bet it's an act.

_Though_, a small voice in the back of my mind told me, _Did you see the light in his eyes? He looked happy. Perhaps Reg is right. Perhaps the Potter boy has taken to like you. And maybe, just maybe, you, Karisstania Rebecca Black- half-sister of Regulus, Remus, and Sirius- have taken a liking to your brother's godson. Perhaps you've taken a liking to Harry Potter._

I promptly told the voice to shut up.

* * *

**A/N **

**Thanks for reading! I've had this general story in mind for a long time, and I wanted to see how it would come out in an actual story. I think it'll be 10 chapters at the least. **

**Also, there's going to be another character that will join in as the main one.**

**Remus and Sirius aren't a couple in this fic, though personally I think they're so good together!:), but Remus did come to the gathering just because he's Sirius' best friend, and i kind of pictured James and Remus being there for Sirius if he ever really had to face the family he hates again. **

**Hope you liked it, and please review!:)**


	2. Arguments and Water

Chapter Two: At Hogwarts

Harry Potter stared up at the ceiling, an inner battle rampant in his mind.

What happened last night? Harry had no idea. Really, when Sirius had convinced him to attend the party with himself and Remus, the young Gryffindor had no intention of actually dancing, never mind in some contest. In front of the whole bloody room, thought Harry embarrassedly.

But what nerved Harry the most wasn't that he had danced- which, he reminded himself, he never knew was possible- no, it was the fact that he hadn't noticed. And he hadn't noticed because he was so distracted by the girl he was dancing with.

Harry didn't know what it was about her. When he had caught her fall, he honestly thought nothing of it. When she showed that spark of the attitude Sirius grimly explained belonged to his 'family', he wasn't as annoyed with it as he had expected to be.

But there was something about her, Harry reminded himself, trying not to think of her eyes glimmering smugly at him when he tripped the first and second time.

She was so…different. And not the kind of different he's heard Muggles say in movies like, 'she's different from everyone'. Harry knew that most of her family must have somewhat the same commentary and outlook, but he also knew that there was something very different about Karisstania Black. Something that had made him say yes, just to see that personality again.

_No,_ Harry told himself. _It would never work out, and besides, I'm over thinking this. We're just met for Merlin's sake!_

But that wasn't the only reason he was unsuccessfully attempting to block any thoughts of Krissy. No, the real reason was made quite clear from the look his godfather and practically uncle wore when Harry had spotted them in the middle of the dance.

Even if things had a chance between him and Krissy (which even he wasn't so sure about considering how short a time they've even known each other) he knew that as much as Sirius might say that it was his choice who he fancied and Sirius would love anyone Harry did, the young wizard knew that his godfather would rather Harry date a Hippogriff than another Black.

Sirius sat completely still; sending sharp glares into his now cold tea.

"Padfoot, it's no use thinking about it now. What's done is done, and it was nothing serious."

Sirius didn't answer. Remus sighed, putting down his own still full cup.

"You know," the old professor said after a brief silence. "I never would have guessed Harry had it in him with that dancing last night. You would have thought he'd been doing it for years."

"I know, Moony, I was there," Sirius snapped. And then he sighed. "I'm sorry, Remus, I just can't help it."

Remus waved off the apology. "What I want to know is how she got Harry to even look at the dance floor. Remember when Albus told us about the Yule Ball? He made it seem like Harry was as stiff as a board and off to his own execution."

"That's what it sounded like from Harry, too," Sirius remarked peevishly. "And it was Karisstania who convinced Harry. I saw her drag him over and show off while she danced a few songs before the contest."

Moony raised an eyebrow. "Padfoot, were you watching them the entire time?" his voice was a mixture of sternness and amusement.

"I was keeping an eye on Harry," Padfoot defended. "He was in a house with a bunch of pureblood nuts. Spells were disabled but physical ambushes weren't. And besides, I knew Karisstania was the one who suggested it. Don't want her to try anything on him."

Remus gave his practically brother a knowing look. "That, and you don't want to admit that the two might actually see something in each other."

"Harry does not fancy that spoiled brat."

"Padfoot, really, when have you ever seen Harry look so- young?"

It was Sirius' turn to raise an eyebrow, a slight smirk on his face. "He's fifteen, Moony."

"I know, but he's always been a bit older. Even with all those girls shamelessly flirting with him whenever we take a trip to Diagon Alley, he politely ends the conversation and takes absolutely no interest."

"What are you saying?"

"I'm only saying that no one's been able to get to Harry. Remember how it was for Lily?" Both Marauders were immediately remembering all the boys who had followed her and all of whom were politely pushed aside. Except Prongs. "Harry hasn't taken to anyone, Padfoot. Except Karisstania."

"Karisstania is not Harry's Lily," Sirius said. "Or James, or- Karisstania is not the one who's going to break through to Harry if that's' what you're trying to say."

"Padfoot," Remus said tiredly. "Do you remember when we were at that carnival last year?"

Sirius bit his lip. Last summer he and Remus had taken Harry and his best friends Ron and Hermione to a magical carnival. It was pretty much the same as the muggle modification, but with only one difference. Of all the booths of palm reading and whatnot, there was actual accuracy to these. Not to say that there wasn't any with the muggle ways, but here, there's no way you can deny what it says. The words that appear above your palm were as sure as a patronus or prophecy.

Sirius remembered what Harry's palm had said.

"_She who catches one's eye is a rarity. For he will love only once in eternity. Whether she loves is unknown, but whether or not he will be euphoric or alone. For even if he doesn't discover this she, her heart is the only one his will see."_

Basically, said the expert (whom the trio trusted far more than a certain Divination teacher), Harry has a true love, but there's only one. And he can marry someone and have a happy life, but there's only one whom he will truly fall in love with. No matter if she doesn't love him or he doesn't even find her, that will make no difference.

"Yeah I remember," Sirius said quietly. When they heard, both Remus and Hermione were impressed, almost excited because it seemed like a fairytale ending (though Remus would never admit he thought of it in those words). Ron had patted Harry on the back saying, "Hope you find her mate, otherwise that'll be a sad life. Don't worry though, Hermione and I will be here too keep your life from being dull if you don't find this mystery person. Or if she died." This earned him a sharp smack from Hermione.

Harry thought it was a bit corny, saying that it made him sound like a poet- which, he pointed out, he had no chance of being since poems seemed to hide whenever he sat down with a quill. He was a little happy about it though. Though not nearly as much as Hermione and Remus, of course.

Sirius, though, hadn't known what to think of it. Sure it was cool that Harry would only love once- that means there wasn't a possibility that when he thinks he's 'in love', he'll actually be 'in love'.

It was obvious that plenty of girls had taken a notice to him, and Sirius liked to think that at least one of them would really make his godson happy. But what if this 'she' was one of them who would end up breaking him?

Sirius didn't know what to think.

"It's not like she's it, though," Sirius tried to reason. "It could be just another crush."

"Probably," Remus agreed.

"I just," Sirius said, at a loss for words. "Not…"

"I know," said Remus in a sad, tired voice.

The two friends looked at each other. Neither one of them wanted to say what it was clear the other was thinking. Neither of them wanted to sound that harsh or prejudice.

But there was no denying that Karisstania was the last person Sirius and Remus wanted Harry, who was a son in every way that mattered to them, to fall for.

And as guilty as they felt saying it, they couldn't help but feeling it was the absolute truth.

Harry was dishing out the food on the plates, trying his best to ignore the tense atmosphere that had formed after the party with Sirius' family the day before.

Sirius, Remus and Harry ate in a would be comfortable silence. That is if Harry wasn't noticing the side glances being thrown his way and exchanged between the two older men.

Finally, Harry sighed, putting down his fork. Both marauders looked up curiously.

"Harry?" Sirius prompted curiously.

"Look," Harry began. "I know that it was a little, er, weird last night with the dancing and stuff. I mean, I hadn't known she was your sister, but honestly, it was hardly anything."

Sirius and Remus exchanged a glance, looking sheepish when they found Harry looking at them unabashedly.

"Harry, listen," Sirius said gently. "I know that whatever happened last night has already happened, and we know that you two were just being friendly and everything, but..." he hesitated, trying to make his words sound right, "we just don't think you two are such a good idea."

"Sirius," Harry said, looking just like his godfather had not five minutes before Harry had come down to dinner. "I don't know what you want me to say. I mean, it's not like we'd be any more than friends, if even that. Besides, I doubt I'll even see her again, anyway. We never ran into each other at Hogwarts."

"We know, Harry, it's just," Remus struggled to find the right words, trying to sound comforting. "We don't think you two being together would be a good idea," he eventually repeated. "I'm sure you two would make great friends-"

"You wouldn't mind us being friends?" Harry said doubtfully, noticing the look Sirius was giving Remus.

"We- no, we wouldn't," Remus said firmly, throwing a look of his own at Sirius, who had his mouth open in slight protest. "You can be friends with whomever you choose to, Harry. We'd just rather you- choose someone- different I suppose, to um, date."

Harry had never seen his professor so uncertain and cautious before, and could tell that the sandy haired man was trying his best to say this as gently as it could come out. He couldn't help feeling a little disappointed, though, of having his thoughts confirmed.

"Right, Padfoot?" Remus prompted, seeing the look Harry tried to conceal.

"Of- of course, kiddo. Friends" Sirius said, trying to give a smile. It wasn't working. "Of course it is completely your choice, but we'd, um, rather if…"

"Um, all right," Harry said awkwardly, searching for a way to end the conversation without being so obvious.

"It's probably nothing more than a crush, though, if even, eh?" Sirius said, grinning in a strained way. "What caught your eye by the way?"

"Er, I don't know," Harry said, thrown back at the sudden direction change. He knew Sirius was only trying to make him feel better, but it was a bit uncomfortable, especially knowing that neither actually liked Krissy. "Her eyes?"

Harry thought hard about what made her so consistent in his mind.

She was pretty, but there were other pretty girls at Hogwarts, right? Harry sighed. If he was being honest, no one had the same beauty as Krissy. Not even in the Slytherin house. No one had the slight quirk of their eyebrow when they were being sarcastic, curious, or trying to convince someone of some matter. No one had the tiny bit of dimple that showed when they were trying to fight off a smile. No one had a spark in their eyes when something hit home, a spark that would appear collected and controlled and superior to most, but somehow seemed just plain out enchanting to Harry. No one had a personality that some found typical, but was really-

Harry stopped himself. No, it would be better if he'd just left it at that. Bad enough he had dwelled on her at all.

Remus nodded, trying to take after Sirius' tactic. Or just trying to make Harry more comfortable. "Yes, her eyes are nice. I think that's the only thing different from either of us. She has Sirius' hair and a female version of his bone structure,"

"Lucky girl," Sirius grinned.

"-my height, and obviously her father's dancing abilities," Remus finished with a smile.

"Your dad was a dancer?" Harry asked curiously.

"Nothing professional, but he was known for being skilled at it, something, as you can see, I didn't inherit."

Harry smiled while his godfather let out a snort.

The rest of the meal passed with Remus telling of the times the Marauders came over to his house in the summer- he didn't mention why they never went over Sirius' and Harry didn't ask.

Harry was glad, though, that the conversation had brought a lighter mood to the three.

"What do you say to coming to Hogwarts with us?" Remus asked. Every summer there's ten weeks taken aside where foreign wizards and witches come to learn the ways of England's Wizarding Community. They're taught the area's most used and useful spells, what to beware of, and generally what to expect. Volunteers are asked to help teach alongside the Hogwarts staff, though they must be checked by Dumbledore to see of any deatheaters. Students fifteen and older are asked to watch some of the foreign children brought along. "I'm sure Albus would appreciate it."

"Bet we could give McGonnegal a nice busy day," Sirius grinned. "I could go in my dog form."

Harry smiled, rolling his eyes.

Regulus and Severus Snape stood in front of the Slytherin Common Room, speaking in calm, low voices. In truth, this was a blood class version of a friendly conversation, since a normal one would be of hisses and glares. Severus and Regulus had been good friends in Hogwarts, though Reg was a few years younger, and had remained friends since. Orion and Walburga Black had approved of Severus' ranking with Voldemort even then, and had therefore approved in all of their youngest son's friendship. When Karisstania was born, Severus was names godfather.

"Karissa," Reg called to his sister, who stood peering out of a thick glassed ceiling window. "Come on, we have to leave soon. Wouldn't you like to at least say a few words to old Snappie?"

Snape rolled his eyes in response. "Karissa for your sake- please don't take after this moron you call brother." There was no real heat behind it. Reg snorted.

Karissa was smirking as she walked towards the two men. "Why do they even have this stupid learning ordeal anyway? It's so pointless."

"Better than sitting at home all summer listening to Mother yelling," Reg said.

"That's true," Karissa and Snape said at once.

"Speaking of Mother," Reg went on. "She was very pleased that Karissa here won the Mid-dance."

"As if it wasn't already known she would," Snape said, giving his goddaughter an infrequent smirk. "Congratulations."

"She and her dance partner made it to the end of the song," Regulus finished, looking his sister in the eye. She scowled back.

Snape raised his eyebrows. "Is there a problem with that? I would have thought it exceeding to make it to the finish of the song. Though I am surprised. I was under the impression you could only make it to three quarters, though you still remain the most talented, Karissa."

"Well, I had a rather talented dance partner," said girl said with a huff, still looking sharply at her brother.

"Not the usual than?" Snape asked in his usual monotone. "And what in Merlin's name are you glaring at Reg for?"

"He's a bit upset with my dance partner," Karissa said, eyes hard. "Though, as Reg mentioned, he was quite good and we made it to the end. He's a very good dancer."

When it was obvious the pureblood would say no more, Reg took it up. "Yes, and you would hardly guess who her dance partner happened to be."

"Goyle?" Snape guessed, though he highly doubted it. That boy couldn't tell his left foot from his right. But both Blacks were unimpressed with the boy, so Snape could only assume this was the wizard that his friend was getting so heated about.

"Potter," Reg spat. "The Potter boy. Harry Potter."

"I think we get it, Reg!" Karissa said loudly.

"That boy-" Snape sputtered, looking shocked and disgusted. "He-"

"Karissa asked him," Reg said through gritted teeth.

"How would you know that Reg?" Karissa's glare was now smoldering as she stared furiously at her brother. "You didn't think he'd do anything did you? Or did you think I couldn't take care of myself? Or," she was getting angrier by the minute, "were you watching us the whole time?"

"Why would you choose Potter of all people-"

"We won, Severus! And it was hardly a big deal."

"Karissa," Snape said. "That boy is- a Gryffindor for one. You two are complete opposites in every-"

"May I interrupt?" a pleasant voice asked.

The three spun around to see Albus Dumbledore standing meters away with a cheery smile on his face. "I daresay you three can continue Mr. Potter's and Miss. Black's dancing night some other time?" he asked kindly.

"There is a thing called personal discussions," Reg said in an annoyed voice. Though Dumbledore was far used to this, for even if it was on the low side, he had been a friend of theirs for some time.

"Well, perhaps you should have these discussions somehow other besides this spacious corridor, my boy," Albus said happily, leading the group down the halls.

"It's started then, Albus?" Snape asked.

"Oh, yes. Now, you and Regulus here can work in the West Wing. Young Karisstania will be in the switching throughout the day from the kitchens to the Hospital Wing if that is fine."

"That's fine, sir," Karissa said professionally.

Albus began telling them what was to be done, keeping up that merry tone that was in complete contrast to the other serious, proper three.

"Oh, and you'll be glad to know that Miss. Black will be working with someone she is familiar with. Curious as to how that was worked out? I must admit I was a bit skeptical at first, but now with overhearing both your stories, I think you'll both enjoy these few weeks."

"What are you talking about, Albus?" Reg said distractedly, as he and Severus were in an opinionated discussion about which potion would be the best to brew in the Summer Solstice.

Instead of answering, however, Dumbledore merely pulled open the Hospital Wing doors, giving view to a certain group of wizards.

The potion discussion abruptly cut off. Two of the wizards in front of the door's widened.

"I'm sure you all know each other," Albus said pleasantly, "But one should never pass the opportunity to reintroduce oneself. Please meet Sirius Black, Remus Lupin, and Harry Potter."

"You!" Sirius said, though it was hard to tell whether it was directed at Snape or Regulus.

"Sirius," Remus said quietly.

"Potter," Snape snarled quietly, looking into a hard set of emerald green eyes.

"Now, now, there will be no fighting today," Madem Pomphrey said, bustling over. "There's much to be done today I'll not have you four arguing all day." She turned looked over at Karissa and Harry. "Are you two ready to work? I've got your station set up over there."

"Now wait a minute," Reg said tersely. "There are plenty of people in the school, certainly there's some other pair that can be arranged?"

"Nonesense," Pomphrey said. "These two are the only ones from Hogwarts at that."

"If they absolutely need to be separated," Dumbledore said, "Then I suppose it could be arranged. Harry? Karisstania?"

"I- I don't mind, sir," Harry said.

"N-neither do I," Karissa said.

Both teens looked directly at the headmaster, refusing to look into their family's eyes. Though they had stuttered a bit in hesitancy at first, they were suddenly sure of their response.

"Harry," Sirius said to his godson, looking the slightest bit alarmed. "You don't have to. It's not a problem to just switch-"

"No it truly is not an issue," Regulus and Snape interrupted.

Sirius and Remus glared.

"All right, all right, out" the nurse said impatiently. "You four are acting like children. I say, these two are the only ones being responsible. Now, I've got work to do. I'll be taking these two."

"Come along then," Dumbledore said to the four adults. "We best get going as well."

"If you need to leave," Reg said to Karissa as they were ushered out the door, "Send someone at once."

"You, too, Harry," Sirius latched seriously.

"Goodness, they'll be fine," Dumbledore said. "There's a bit of tension. I always find that a bit uncomfortable. It couldn't be from this dancing business, could it?"

Sirius, Reg and Snape all gave their old headmaster incredulous looks, as if they couldn't believe that the 'most powerful wizard' had so casually suggested the root problem to be, well, the problem.

Harry and Karissa glanced at each other, both turning away and hiding a smile. Remus, being the only one in the room whom say this, furrowed his eyebrows.

Once the four adults left, all the while making certain that Harry/Karissa could call at any second to leave and the two Blacks plus Snape throwing glares, had gone Madem Pomphry turned to the two.

"Well that was a bit intense, there. All right, as I said, you're station is right over here..."

Once she explained what to do, the school nurse went off to attend to some older witches and wizards.

"So," Karissa said, fingering the stray papers laid out on a small side table. "Exactly what are we supposed to do here?"

"Weren't you paying attention?" Harry asked, though without actual annoyance.

Karissa shrugged. "I gathered we'll be in here until lunch, then at the kitchens till dinner, and then we get to leave, and- what are you grinning like that for?"

"Nothing," Harry said, pressing his upturned lips together. "I just didn't think your mind was centered around food."

"What's wrong with that?"

"Nothing," Harry said again. "And to answer your other question, we're teaching kids how to color here, then I think we're going to cook something for someone in the kitchen."

"Oh, that just sounds delightful."

Harry laughed at the sarcasm dripping from her voice.

"UGH!" Karissa groaned, throwing down a paper plate in defeat. Harry looked at her in surprise, and even she was a bit taken aback from her sudden outburst. Then again, she thought in annoyed mood, it's difficult to remember the proper etiquette when you're surrounded by kids who don't know magic glue from drool, and expected to make this-this, "Why do we need the bloody glue for whatever it is we're making!"

"Krissy," Harry said quietly, looking around at younger kids. She got the message. One mention of a curse and Madam Pomfrey would be screeching at the top of her lungs.

"What are we supposed to do with this?" The youngest Black snapped, gesturing towards the paper, bird feathers, and glue. She unnoticeably triggered several kids to scoot their chairs a few inches away.

"It's just a sign for their room or something," Harry explained, helping one little boy- who had surprisingly not noticed the older girl's outburst- glue on some feathers to form the name, 'Matthew'.

"And why are we spending all day doing this?" Karissa hissed, arching her back gracefully into a proper slouch. She and Harry were seated next to each other, with the kids sitting around them in a circle. Karissa had scooted her chair closer to Harry, with a not so discreet disgusted look to the boy with the runny nose sitting beside her, and was therefore able to mutter angrily without having the entire table take notice.

Harry shrugged, digging through a box of bright feathers for the boy. "What else would we be doing? It's not like we can go out flying or play chess."

Karissa arched a brow testily. "Why not? Think you're too good for me, Potter?"

Harry looked up. "No, but we're with seven and eight year olds. Most of who have a cold. I don't reckon Madam Pomfrey would even let us out the doors."

"Had a lot of experience trying?" she said, forcing down a slight blush from his light correction.

Harry grinned. "All the time. It's like you're suddenly going to drop dead if you leave under her watch."

Karissa snorted a short laugh. "That was a miserable attempt at a joke, Potter."

"You laughed," Harry pointed out, going back to his box. "And besides, I couldn't let rein my witty jokes in front of them. They could end up thinking I'm a bit-"

"Mental?"

"I was going for outrageously witty, actually."

Karissa rolled her eyes. "Oh, I'm so impressed."

A few minutes passed in which Harry helped Matthew glue the feathers on, and then some girl named Melanie write hers in ink.

"Excuse me," the boy with the runny nose said, poking Karissa to get her attention. Said girl looked down to where his finger had left a glob of boogers and wrinkled her nose in disgust. "What?" she snapped, her eyes daring him to say another word. With a whimper he turned back. Karissa turned away from him, muttering angrily, and glanced up at the look of disapproving look Harry was giving her.

"What?" she snarled, even harsher than with the child. This time, she truly expected Harry to turn away or mumble something incoherent. Her glares made some of her father's grown witches and wizards uneasy.

But Harry only stared back, still having that censorious look. "You don't have to snap at him. He probably just had to use the loo or something."

"It's not my job to take care of him," she hissed, thankfully quiet enough so not even the boy next to her could overhear. "I came here because my brother and godfather insisted. I don't have to babysit half-breeds."

Karissa's had to fight hard to keep the surprise off her face as Harry's face turned angry. "They're not some pile of dirt you can just walk over," he said coldly. "It doesn't matter whether he's a muggle- you don't snap at someone for something like that."

"Well if they don't have the common sense to wipe their nose-"

"He's four!" Harry hissed back. "He's a kid! Merlin, I can't believe." He stopped himself there.

"What?" Karissa's voice still came out as a hiss. When Harry just gave a 'nevermind, it doesn't matter' she loudly protested. "Just tell me, Potter!"

This, unfortunately, caught the attention of an already over busy school nurse, who shrilly ordered them to take it out in the corridor. When they insisted that it was fine and there'd be no more yelling, she all but screamed at them to go and stay there for at least five minutes. She would watch the kids while they were absent.

So, Karissa brought herself up into her full height, slammed the chair behind her back into the table, and went angrily out the hospital doors, barely noticing Harry taking a much quieter exit.

"Great," she sneered at the raven-haired boy, leaning against the wall with her arms crossed. "Now we have to stand here like toddlers in some time out because you wouldn't answer."  
"Fine," said Harry angrily. "You want to know what I was thinking? I thought you were different than how Sirius thought. I thought you didn't sit on top of this pedestal, sneering down on anyone you think is less."

Karissa didn't know why, but this hit a nerve, "And why would you even think that? I do not sneer down!"

"Would you have helped him if he was a pureblood?" Harry shot at her.

"He'd be cleaner if he were pure," she replied matter-of-factly.

"See!" Harry said angrily. "You think being pureblood makes you so much better than everyone. That you have a right to cast people down. Why did you even dance with me?" Harry finished.

Karissa was startled by the question he had tagged on. Why did he think she danced with him? "You looked like an acceptable dancer, Potter, and I didn't fancy being stepped on again." Then she saw what he was getting at. "I- I overlooked your blood status for that night."

"Oh, well, if that's all then," Harry said icily, turning back to the Hospital.

"Hold on a second!" Karissa said, running to catch up to him before he opened the door. The boy was surprisingly fast. "What does it matter that I have a disliking for half-breeds and muggleborns?"

"It doesn't," Harry said. "It matters that you think you're blood makes you so much better than everyone else!"

Karissa fought down the answer of, "I_ am _better!" and gritted her teeth. "Look," she said. "I apologize if I made you feel inferior. And I'll try to hold my tongue against that boy. Now can we please go back inside before somebody sees us in this bloody hallway?"

"Why are you apologizing?" Harry asked, bewildered. "You've just made it clear you don't like anyone you think under you, why are you suddenly listening to me?"

"Because I don't want to spend the whole summer yelling," she shouted.

"Now this is enough!" an angry voice said from behind. Madam Pomfrey stood with her hands on her hips. "There's still work that = needs to be done and I need the two of you back in here. I expect no more nonsense for the rest of the day. Understand?"

The next two hours were quiet between the two teens. Neither was willing to admit to that they didn't like the silence, and so the youngest Black and Potter stood in the kitchens, scrubbing dishes noiselessly.

"I'm sorry about earlier," Harry said finally, not glancing up to see that Karissa looked at him in surprise. "You had already said you were, and I kept snapping at you. Sorry about that."

"I accept," she said stiffly.

There were a few more minutes of silence, broken by Harry's hesitant question. "Why did you dance with me though? You know there were plenty of other dancers around."

"Thought you didn't consider yourself one, Potter?" Karissa said with a raised eyebrow.

Harry rolled his eyes, "You know what I mean."

Karissa thought about that for a moment. "I don't know," she said finally. "I guess I was just surprised that you had actually caught me, so, I figured, what else has he got? I didn't expect you to agree."

"I was surprised," Harry admitted. "I hadn't expected to do anything. I thought it'd be a one minute dance or something, and of course that woman was in the back going on about the Crucio curse."

Karissa pondered that for a moment. "Do you think," she began curiously. "You think you'd be thinking the way I do if you were pureblood?"

"No," said Harry slowly. "I don't think I would. I think I would."

"Well," said Karissa. "I don't see what's wrong with the way I think. It seems perfectly right."

Harry didn't answer.

"So, what, you hate me and the rest of my family back at home then?" she asked finally.

"I don't hate you," Harry said. "I just think you take blood way too seriously. It doesn't matter though."

Karissa pondered this, scrubbing the plate of some pasta.

"What did your family say about last night?" Harry asked after another pause.

Karissa wrinkled her nose. "My parents hardly cared who my dance partner was- as I've been in several already, and didn't take notice that you were my dance partner- no offence."

"None taken," Harry said easily, a bit surprised that she had even added the last bit.

"My brother, Regulus Black… he disapproved."

Harry nodded slightly.

"And yours?"

The Gryffindor paused, uncertain whether he should tell. Then again, it was probably no surprise that they hadn't approved either. And she did already reveal.

"Sirius and Remus weren't too happy about the idea."

"My godfather found out today- he was a bit peeved."

"Snape's your godfather?" Harry asked, eyes widening.

"Yes," Karissa said tersely. "Do you have a problem?"

"No. I- I was just surprised."

"You seem to be that quite a bit."

They both rolled their eyes, their mouths lifting just the slightest when they saw the other's mirrored reaction.

Harry began to laugh.

"What now?"

"Nothing," Harry said. "I just thought it was kind of ironic, you know? Snape and Sirius hate each other, and here their godson and goddaughter are at school doing volunteer work having a civil conversation."

"They must be appalled," she drawled dramatically.

"Blinded in the eyes."

"Halted in the brain."

"Forever gagging at the thought of it."

"Haunted by nightmares."

"Attacked by- are we making fun of ourselves?" Harry deadpanned suddenly.

Karissa thought for a moment. "I believe we are. Nice going, Potter!" she said, thought with no real heat and a wide smirk.

They continued on with a light banter, quickly going through the pile of dishes.

"Ugh, when they told us to come to the kitchen, I hadn't expected to be cleaning!" Karissa complained.

"It could be worse," Harry pointed out. "Besides, cleaning is good for the soul."

"Oh is it now?" Karissa cocked a brow. "Well, good luck getting me to clean after this. I'm never touching a sponge and sink again."

Harry opened his mouth to answer, handing Karissa a soapy dish to rinse as had been their technique, when suddenly a small figure appeared directly behind Karissa with a loud CRACK, causing both Karissa and Harry to jump, and Harry to drop the dish make into the sink and splash a torrent of water on all three of them.

"Dobby!" Harry said, taking in the house elf that was wringing out his ears.

"Harry Potter sir!" the elf squeaked joyfully. "So much has Dobby hoped to see you this summer, sir! Dobby had been working at Hogwarts, sir! And- and who, is this, sir?" he looked over at Karissa, who was standing there dripping wet. "It is Dobby's pleasure to meet you, ma'am!"

"Er, hello," Karissa said, glancing from the elf to Harry. They obviously were acquainted. She rounded on Harry. "Look what you did! Now we've got an even bigger mess that'll take all night!"

"Not to worry, ma'am!" said Dobby happily, and with a snap they were completely dry, the dishes spotless and stacked.

"Couldn't have shown up a few moments ago," Karissa muttered, annoyed.

Harry ignored her comment. "Hey, Dobby. Do you know if they want us to do anything else?"

"Sir and ma'am does not need to worry, Dobby has come to say that you is done for the day!" Dobby beamed happily at them.

Harry grinned. "Thanks, Dobby."

"Er, yes, my appreciations, elf."

"Ma'am can call Dobby Dobby if she wishes," he said brightly. "Dobby is sorry, but he must go back to the garden where Master Dumbledore be needing Dobby. An honor it was, though! Dobby wishes to see Harry Potter and ma'am soon! For Dobby knows that Harry Potter's friends are surely just as noble, courageous, kind-"

"Er, thanks, Dobby," said Harry quickly, blushing slightly. "We'll just clean up here and see you tomorrow."

"Good-bye Harry Potter and ma'am, a pleasure it was for Dobby!" the house elf then left with a CRACK, leaving the two in a now spotless kitchen.

"Well, that was easy," Karissa said. "I assume you know Dobby than?"

"Yeah, for a couple years I guess" said Harry.

"Oh, well, we should go then. Oh, and, here-" she reached over in the stilled filled sink, cupped a handful of water, and hurtled it at Harry's face.

"Hey!" his voice was full of laughter.

"That was for soaking us to the bone, Harry."

Harry then reacted with another handful of water to the girl in question. Which lead to a huge bucket being snatched and released atop a messy mop of black hair.

Soon they were running around, each holding a water bucket in their hands like a shield, and scooping up water from the filled sink that twisted around the enoumous kitchen. All the while shouting future victories and 'catch me if you can' to each other in laughing voices.

"Get back here!" Karissa giggled, throwing a gallon of water on the now soaked Harry, and slipping as she took a step back to retreat from getting wet any further.

Arms quickly caught her, and she was pulled gently upright.

Karissa looked up smirking, trying her best to hide her embarrassment at her unusual clumsiness, when Harry dumped his bucket of water over her head, laughing.

He then tried to dodge her full bucket, but ended up stepping right where Karissa landed her foot, and slipped on the floor himself, bringing down Karissa with him.

They were both positively laughing as they sat on the floor, too weak from amusement to get back up.

It was the first time, Karissa realized, that she had actually laughed outright. The young Black could honestly not remember a time, even in her childhood, that she had laughed. And, being new at it and a girl, she was a little self-conscious. She didn't let anyone notice this of course, as she cleared her throat. She looked over at Harry, trying not to see nervous, but simply casual.

He seemed to read right through her, which, surprisingly, Karissa didn't mind. He gave her a warm smile, and, with an absolute series face, challenged her to a rematch, since it was obvious Karissa had won, which she quite boldly accepted.

It was then that they found the ice cream room.

When Remus Lupin walked in hours later, he was categorically surprised at the sight he saw.

Harry and Karissa were mopping the ice cream from the ground, house elves surrounding them, and, what was most shocking, the two were laughing at something or another.  
Remus watched in surprise as Harry and Karisstania spoke to each other, as if they had known each other weeks instead of just barely days.

This was certainly unexpected.


	3. Chess and Roaming People

Chapter Three: Chess and Past

"And then the man said, _'Come away, come away, for 'tis the land we shan't belong in! For_'-what are you laughing at?" Harry looked up from the book he held histrionically in his hands, sitting in the middle of a circle of laughing four to seven year olds, and looking up at Karissa with a mock offended look. This was completely ruined, of course, by the twitch of his lips and laughing emerald eyes.

"Just thinking of your incurable lack of pride, which is demonstrated by you reading Muggle novels to children."

"Reading is-"

"Don't you dare say 'reading is good for the soul'," Karissa said boldly. To anyone else, this would be considered a warning snap, but Harry took no notice to the change in tone, and thus had gotten the kids to stay calm whenever the Black side in Karissa would snarl- which happened to be more often than not. Karissa didn't know whether to be furious or glad that Harry seemed to unconsciously calm her and the kids from what would normally be a burst of fury. "Next thing we know you'll be corrupting these children's minds in telling them naming evening clouds in good for the soul."

Harry grinned. "I hadn't thought of that. What do you think, guys?" he addressed the young witches and wizards, laughing when they all cheered excitedly.

"Harry, Karisstania," Madam Pomfrey called, gliding through the Hospital Wing doors. "You two are free for the morning, dears. Your shifts at the kitchens will begin in one hour."

"Noooooo!" was the resounding protest from the kids, raising both the nurse's and Karissa's eyebrows.

The two walked down the chilly stone halls. Karissa, with her usual regal pose and slight strut to her strides, and Harry, walking in graceful but boyish steps.

The two seemed so different that it was a great shock to see them moving leisurely through the castle, slightly turned in to look at each other, a warm, casual feel to the air that was both comforting and somehow foreign to each teen- though neither would admit it.

Even the portraits turned away from their summer activities, peering curiously over books and gardening tools to look at two students they had seen countless times before in the last four years, but never in a million years would've even thought of seeing the two so casually walk the halls. Their appearance said everything about their stories.

They weren't the only ones to notice this either.

Aurors, guests, and especially the Hogwarts staff had even taken a second longer than necessary look whenever they caught sight of them. Not that Karissa and Harry made it a big show of walking together, since their friendship was still on the rocks with both families, but it was still something that caught everyone's attention.

Harry, Karissa noticed, was not one to flaunt. Though he certainly had the looks and grace, he walked with an easy, smooth step. His eyes were always warm, shining with something usually of curiosity, laughter, or mischief. He wore simply black wizard's robes, as was requested of the two of them by Dumbledore.

Karissa, on the other hand, was quite different. Though both magical teens had black air, Karissa's was sleek and shiny, cascading down to the middle of her back and clipped together so that her tiny end curls were gathered like water at the bottom of a waterfall. Harry's was black, soft, and simply grew every which way in a more relaxed than dignified manner.

She had creamy pureblood Black skin, high cheekbones, and a short but graceful physique. She came up to Harry's nose. By her parents' encouragement, Karissa was wearing a low key version of her dress robes- dramatic black with silver crested at her wrists. She, unlike, Harry, walked with almost arrogant pride. Head up, lips very slightly pressed together, and hands at either side so that the occasional wind caused her robes to billow slightly around her- there was no denying her class.

"Naming clouds?" Harry said, trying and failing to hide a wide smile. "Had some experience with that?"

"Oh shut it. We both know you'd be the one who'd be giving first and surnames to wisps of air."

"Well, I think you had a point. Naming clouds-"

"-is not good for the soul!" Karissa's voice rose with every syllable, a bubbling laugh exceeding from her.

The two reached the staff room half an hour later, a board of chess laid in between them on the dark mahogany table, each sitting on either side.

"I still cannot fathom what made me agree to this," Karissa commented as they set up their chess pieces.

"Stubbornness?" Harry suggested.

"It most certainly was not!"

But, as Harry would often point out, it was. The second day after they had come back from the kitchens they had come to the staff room for their hour break before and after seeing the children. Karissa had complained quite vociferously that there was simply nothing to do, in which Harry answered that he had realized that as well. In the end, they ended up taking out Harry's Muggle chess game that had been stowed in his book bag since school had let out. When Harry had asked if she wanted to play, the young Black made a big deal out of recognizing that the game was a Muggle version, before finally surrendering and agreeing to play just this once after making a point that it was only boredom that made her come to this- in which Harry responded with an eye roll.

They had compromised, in the end, by transfiguring the pieces to brass and black metal.

"You realize this is the last time I'm going to play this Muggle game?" Karissa asked as she made her first move. She was the black metal of course.

"You've been saying that for the last couple of times," Harry pointed out, grinning slightly. "And it's not that different from Wizard Chess."

"I only played again because the first few days we hadn't even had the right pieces," Karissa disagreed.

It was true; they had spent the majority of two days looking up Transfiguration spells that changed wood to metal and brass. They had found the spells the first day, but when performed it had changed everything to the small mounds that the pieces had once been carved out of. So, they spent the next day researching how to undo it, before finally deciding to spend the next two days re-carving the pieces before playing. "And of course it's different from Wizard Chess. The pieces can move for themselves and follow the noble art of the minimized battle that chess is supposed to be about. Of course the horses do not give the noble 'nay' as they typically should, Wizard Chess would do." She looked over to see Harry fighting back a laugh. "It's not funny! It's noble."

"This guy doesn't look too noble," Harry was thoughtful, holding up the piece he was about to move for the girl's inspection. "His head's a little crooked. If he were in real battle, his helmet wouldn't stick right on his ear and he'd fall over."

"Too bad for you that your army would lose so quickly." Karissa smirked smugly.

They played silently for a few minutes, Harry trying hard not to smile at the disgruntled looks Karissa wore as the game went on.

"You know," Karissa said. "I think they should make these pieces out of something much more elaborate."

"Like what?"

"Maybe…Topaz."

"Topaz" Harry repeated.

"Yes, and maybe emerald."

"Emerald? As in Slytherin against Gryffindor?"

Karissa grinned. "Scared of the challenge?" she taunted.

Harry rolled his eyes. "Really, though, what would you do with an emerald and topaz set of chess?"

"Same thing I'd do with a brass and metal set I suppose."

"So you wouldn't mind that it isn't Wizard Chess?" Harry clarified, half surprised and the other half…. Harry didn't even know.

"Well," Karissa said thoughtfully, dangling her knight in the air, "I guess not. The nobility comes from the material somewhat too."

Harry bit down a smile, trying hard not to laugh. Apparently, though, it wasn't as discrete as he'd hoped.

"It is!" the young Black gave the Gryffindor a testy stare, in which he laughed unabashedly.

The rest of the game went on in, apart from the utterly gracious comments ("Ha! Take that! That's right my rook's crushing you, Potter! Ha ha!"), and the completely still, non-eye rolling response ("I'm still up two pieces, Krissy"), a relatively comfortable silence.

The game went on with a relaxed, light-hearted feeling surrounding the two. Something, though would never be admitted to man-kind of course, the two teens began to enjoy.

"What did you do?!" Karissa said furiously. She was glaring balefully down at the long piece of silver satin, which now was covered in scattered drawings of mountains, farm animals, and suns. She turned her steely glare down at the boy, who just so happened to be the same one she'd snapped at for getting boogers on her robes. "You can't go drawing on whatever you fancy! What were you thinking when-"

"Krissy," Harry said suddenly, giving her a look that was a cross between anger and disapproval. Even in her tide of fury the young Black couldn't help but note that it, nor his tone, was nothing like what her elder cousins and pureblood classmates used. It held no arrogance or menace. He was just irritated with the way she was acting.

"He ruined this robe!" Karissa screamed. Luckily, or unluckily, the school nurse was absent from the room for the moment and had left Harry and Karissa in charge of the children. "All because he didn't have the common sense to use a bloody piece of parchment- he just had to use a robe-"

"Krissy!" Harry said again, still looking irritated. He quickly gave the boy, Derrick, a piece of parchment and coloring supplies, sitting him down on one of the stools near the table. After making sure he was fine and no longer sniffling, he turned towards the girl.

"Krissy," he said, yet again, but quieter so that they wouldn't be heard by any of the other children. "You can't just burst out at him over something like coloring!"

"He ruined-!"

"Krissy, he's four!" Harry said, repeating what he had said a while ago. "He probably didn't even realize that we needed the robes for something else!"

Karissa inhaled a deep breath.

"Look," Harry said, still speaking in low tones since some of the kids were sleeping on nearby beds. "I know you don't like messes and a bunch of noise-"

"-and idiots who don't know what to color on and what not to," Karissa muttered.

Harry narrowed his eyes slightly out of annoyance and exasperation. "But can you please at least try not to yell at him for everything he does? He's nervous enough already, coming to a new school for the summer."

"It's not my fault he doesn't know what to color," Karissa said yet again, but she had lost most of her steam, and was slowly starting to calm down.

"Krissy, when you were little, would you care about what you were coloring on?"

"What's your point?"

Harry sighed with little irritation. "Just- he just wants to relax, Krissy, after all the moving. He's probably scared enough with all these strange witches and wizards. Cut him a little slack."

Karissa let out a big sigh. She and Harry were sitting down on one of the benches now, which was placed near the doors of the Hospital and overlooked the children sleeping and coloring.

After a moment, Karissa finally muttered in a grudging tone. "I must've looked like an uneducated banshee to him."

Harry smiled slightly, though still looking a bit riffed. "No, banshees would hardly care about robes- uneducated or not."

She gave him a pointed glare. Then, after looking at the boy who was now drawing, sighed. "Great," she mumbled. "Off all the things that could happen, I fall out of line with a toddler. How am I to remedy this?"

"You could apologize," Harry said evenly, raising an eyebrow slightly when Karissa gave him a look of horror, though his lips twitched. "What? He's not going to expect something extravagant, and that way you both'll feel better."

"I cannot believe you expect me to apologize to a four year old."

Harry just shrugged. "Never know what it could do."

After much groaning, Karissa walked hesitantly over to the boy. When Derrick saw her approaching, however, he immediately looked terrified.

Karissa sighed, and throwing one last incredulous look to Harry, crossed her arms in front of the boy. "Er, I came to make amends for my previous behavior concerning your dilly-dallying, in which I rather over-reacted. I recognize that the act of high reprimanding was uncalled for thanks to a discussion I had with an acquaintance. For that, my apologies, young Derrick."

The young boy looked at her as if she had announced trees could sing, and hung his mouth open.

Karissa whirled to face Harry, who has still leaning against the bench, and was about to ask what exactly she was supposed to do next when she realized that he was fighting very hard not to lose it and fall on the floor laughing.

Apparently, her poisonous glare did nothing to give him motivation to keep fighting that battle, for he was soon laughing loudly a moment later, sitting on the bench and eventually the floor from lack of balance.

"Wha-?Harry!"

He quickly swallowed his laughter, getting up and giving only the occasional small chuckle.

"Satisfied?" Karissa said tightly, eyebrow raised.

"I'm sorry," Harry said, still trying not to laugh. "I- shouldn't laugh, I just wasn't expecting you to actually do that- and then- er, sorry about that."

"It's fine," Karissa said primly, and, nodding to 'young Derrick', strolled over to the bench once more.

"One month," she muttered to Harry as he joined her, "and you've already turned me into an apologizing low-class."

Harry rolled his eyes, chuckling quietly. As she said, after one month of spending the majority of the day together- whether arguing, working, or talking- Harry had gotten used to how she was sometimes a bit too blunt, and she became familiar with how he seemed to somehow by genuinely laughing at everything. Though it was rather irritating for both parties, they had gotten too used to it now to really be angry about it.

"I think you did great," Harry said, looking over at Derrick, who was now happily coloring, if a little confused.

"Yes, well, don't expect that again," Karissa said, leaning back against the wall. "How long do we have until break, again?"

"Half an hour more," said Harry, checking the clock.

The two were back to working again, the hospital seeming surprisingly calm for just the two of them in charge, and it surprised one Remus Lupin when he walked in to a peaceful, though certainly filled room.

Shaking off his surprise, he went over to where Harry and Karissa were sitting at the table, both at either end, with the all the children in between them working fixatedly on what looked like clay statues.

"I'm impressed," Remus said to the two, looking at the twenty children working. "How did you manage to get these little ones so quiet?" He then looked curiously at Harry. "And why are you soaked to the bone?"

"Persuasion," Harry said, grinning.

"And demonstration," added Karissa, smirking. "I myself found the situation quite entertaining, and apparently as did the kids. No wonder why they agreed so readily."

Harry rolled his eyes. "Krissy here thought it would be funny if she dumped a bit of melted clay on my arm- which then led the kids to wanting to try the same."

"They ended up ganging up on him, and dumping Harry with the stuff," Karissa supplied. "Then, of course, I told them about the ancient statues that were dyed pink in honor of sunsets and the south."

"Before she helped them gathering the paint," Harry said, glaring playfully at Karissa, "which she was thoroughly encouraging, I told them that there was enough hard clay left to make their own small statues. I went to get the clay while Krissy watched them, and she helped them get started before the clay on me dried and kept me forever with the outer molding of an attached flamingo. I hurried to rinse myself and come back before she convinced them that life-sized statues were better." Harry said this all whilst still glaring at Karissa, though it was clear amusement in his voice.

Karissa shrugged, smirking widely. "Well, it was."

Remus looked between the two of them while they told their tale, fighting hard throughout the whole not to laugh. "That seems- ah- educational."

The two teens laughed, and Remus smiled warmly, chortling. "Well, it seems you two are doing well. I'm just stopping by because Madam Pomfrey sent me to see if you two were handling it well- she apologizes for delaying so long. I was supposed to come sooner, though I'm sorry to say that I got a little side-tracked with the meetings."  
"It's fine," Harry said easily.

"We've managed," agreed Karissa.

At that moment, the door suddenly swung open to reveal Regulus Black standing boldly.

He strolled over to where the three spoke, looking at each in turn. "I've come to announce that the meetings are at an end. We're free to go on our way now. Karissa, Mother and Father have planned a particularly spectacular dinner so if you're ready we'd best be going."

Karissa nodded, stood, and bid good-bye to Harry and Remus.

As they were just about to leave, the door opened again, and Sirius appeared. His eyes narrowed very slightly, but he simply went over to Harry and Remus. "Ready to go, kiddo?"

Everything seemed to be going relatively neutral until Snape suddenly appeared, seemingly for no purpose whatsoever. "Lupin, I have your potion in the labs- I suggest you get it before needed. Don't want to be roaming around as a monster."

Remus nodded, looking over at the seated children warily. Sirius glared. "We've got it, Snape, thanks" he snarled.

"Sirius," Remus said sharply, nodding towards the children who were all looking up from their statues. "Let's just get the potion and-"

"An excellent idea, Lupin."

Regulus turned. "Potter, I suggest you stay and keep an eye on these, your godfather and Lupin will be back."

"I-"

"Don't you dare order him around, Regulus!" Sirius growled, glaring at his brother. "He's not dim! And why should Harry be the one to stay behind- why can't it be Karissa who picks up the responsibilities once in a while?"

"She has!" Regulus hissed furiously. "It is a rather waste of time, however, if she stayed while there is far more pressing matters that she has to attend, whereas Potter-"

"Reg-" Karissa tried.

"What are you trying to say?" Sirius snarled, stepping forward towards his brother, which Regulus quickly mirrored with one of his own.

"Sirius!" Harry said. "It's-"

"Oh I think you know exactly what-"

"Sirius! Regulus!" Remus said sharply, so unexpectedly that it halted the two men in their steps. "There's no need to make such a big deal of this! Now, I will go with Severus to retrieve the potion, and we will all leave afterwards."

"We cannot leave the children unattended," Snape spat in annoyance.

"Well, Snape, you're a professor," Sirius said. "Why don't you-"

"I'll stay," Harry said, getting tired of the feud going on. Honestly, even the first few fights Karissa and he had had hardly lasted this long- they still don't. They worst that happened was them splitting up on opposite sides of the kitchen or Hospital Wing, avoiding or throwing looks at the other.

Snape sighed. "As much a regret it is, Karissa, the labs are currently in the process of processing a potion that gives dangerous side effects to witches."

"Then I'll keep out of them," Karissa concluded.

Sirius inhaled, and said in what was truly an attempt to be civil. "So, you can watch the kids for a little bit until-"

"And have the entire task dumped on her?" Regulus said.

"Enough!" Remus said again, sighing exasperatedly now. "The two of them can stay and watch the children until we're all ready, is that passable with you, Harry, Karissa?"

"Yes."

"It's fine."

The three men seemed bent on adding another two cents in, but Remus quickly tried to draw them back out.

After another five minutes of delaying, the four wizards finally retreated back through the door, leaving Harry and Karissa with twenty very confused children.

"Well that went well," Harry muttered to Karissa once they had assured everyone everything was fine. They were sitting back down on the bench. Throughout the whole conversation the two of them had both attempted to break up the seemingly pointless argument, exchanging looks of confusion, frustration, and just utter 'Don't even bother trying' glances.

"Do you- do you think they'll ever be- ah- civil around one another?" Karissa asked after a moment. She's always loathed sounding hesitant and stuttered, but with the bespectacled boy she didn't feel as bothered about the un-sureness that crept into her voice. "They can't hate each other forever correct?"

Harry thought a minute. He didn't want to drop it right down, nor did he want to lie about it. "Well," he started, "I think that Snape, Sirius, and Remus- Snape and Sirius especially, might not like each other for a while because of all those years that they had been at school. And Sirius and Regulus might not be er, quick about anything either," he soon realized that this was doing nothing to comfort her. "I'm not sure," he eventually said, sighing slightly. "But I don't think they could hate each other forever."

"You might be surprised," Karissa said quietly.

Harry glanced at her. On one hand, he wanted to comfort her, on the other; they were only friends, so she'd tell him if she wanted and if she didn't, that's that. "Well, maybe something will get them to see past everything," he finally said, looking out the window. Secretly he hoped this as well.

When he glanced back at Karissa, she was smiling slightly, looking out to the windows as well. For some reason, this made Harry's mouth unconsciously turn up tenderly.

Ever since Harry had moved in it was soon discovered that while Remus was great at cooking edible meals, Sirius was not. It was also soon realized that Harry in fact had a hand in meal making as well, and would often help with the meals. Remus and Sirius both tried to get the teen to take breaks here and there, insisting that he shouldn't be responsible for two grown men's meals as well as his own, but Harry merely shrugged it off. As compromise, Remus and Harry almost always prepared dinner together- since neither would let Sirius anywhere near the stove.

In the beginning Harry enjoyed the change as much as he enjoyed living with the two Marauders, but ever since the first day of helping out at Hogwarts, there was still a rather uncomfortable air to the conversation whenever the school itself was mentioned.

They still joked of course, and talked, and retold stories of the Marauders' past, but Harry knew that both men were a bit on end. After all, even though they had reassured Harry that it was of course his choice of whom he was friends with and dated, Harry knew they were more than a little iffy about the friendship he had with Karissa.

When the three had returned from the castle, they had talked a bit about the argument Sirius, Remus, Regulus, and Snape broke out in.

After that serious bit was over, though, they had settled into a more relaxed manner.

The three were immersed in conversation when there was a sudden beam of light appearing in the middle of the kitchen, and slowly morphed into the large silvery Phoenix that was Dumbledore's, which soon emitted the headmaster's voice.

"_The summer plans will have to be brought out. Please come to the castle immediately. Meeting will take place in the Staff Room. Portkey attached. "_

"Didn't know it'd be happening this soon," Sirius muttered worriedly to himself.

"What?" Harry said, as the three scrambled to get up and clear the dishes.

"There have been a few warnings," Remus explained. "Apparently there's a threat that's been dwelling near Hogwarts' ground, and has only just been discovered. Dumbledore predicts that school will have to start later this year for this matter."

"Can't believe they've once just discovered it," Sirius said, grouchy that there'd been a danger at Hogwarts for at least a decade now. Though it was pretty obvious, Sirius was a bit overly protective of his godson. "They should've realized there were a bunch of strangers roaming the grounds before letting kids live there!"

"How did they realize the people are there now?" Harry asked warily. Had there been an attack?

Remus correctly read Harry's apprehensive tone. "Don't worry, Harry, no one's been harmed. There's just been a sighting. Dumbledore's identified most of the people and has them being taken care of in the Room of Requirements. Grab onto that handle, Harry."

Not a second later, the three wizards were being squeezed through what felt like a very tight tube, and landed suddenly in the middle of the Hogwarts corridor.

"There you are," Professor Sprout said, rushing up. "Dumbledore's almost about to start the meeting, he sent me to see if you've come. Harry, he also said that you should go out into the grounds. The meeting is for those who are of age and involved."

"What?" Sirius said, turning sharply towards the Hufflepuff Head of House. "Outside? There could be anyone roaming! What if there are still a few not caught?"

"Sirius-"

"Really, Professor," Remus said reasonably, though his eyebrows were furrowed. "It would be better if Harry stayed inside, just for now while most of the adults are occupied?"

Harry felt a small stab of annoyance. It wasn't as though he was a defenseless little kid- he could handle a walk out into the grounds. "Sirius- Remus-"

"The meeting is about to start!" Professor Sprout said exasperatedly. "Now I know why you would be concerned, I don't like the idea of anyone going alone outside either right now, but the headmaster has been assured by the ministry officials that all of the people roaming were brought in. Oh, and, Harry, Madam Pomfrey asks that you join a bit early to help round up the kids from lunch. She wants to start earlier so you're break will only be around one hour instead of two for lunch."

Harry nodded, and after reassuring his godfather and old professor that he'd be fine and careful, the three adults left for the meeting.

So, with nothing else to do, Harry wandered outside for his hour break, both hands in his pocket with his wand closely at the ready.

"That one looks like a Robert- clearly. Has the sort of hair."

"Don't be an idiot, that looks like anything but a Robert. It hardly looks like anything."

"Krissy! You could've seriously hurt his feelings!"

"Who says it's male? It could be a girl for all you know. I should know anyway. Besides, girls are far more vociferous when it comes to emotions- we would've heard it by now."

"Alright, then, how about Rochelle?"

"Where have you heard the name Rochelle before I should like to know!"

Harry and Karissa were in the middle of a field made of long, soft grass. They lay on their backs, rather close but not touching, and were gazing purposely up at the clouds.

"Do you reckon this is the best place to be?" Harry said. "I mean, if people are roaming, wouldn't we want to be somewhere that's not so open?"

"Do you suggest the Forbidden Forest? Oh yes, that seems highly safe." Karissa's voice was sarcastic.

"Fair point."

"So how is it with my two brothers?" Karissa asked after a few moments. "Have you lived with them all your life?"

Harry hesitated for a moment, but then ventured. "No, I'd lived with my aunt and uncle for a while."

Karissa raised an eyebrow. "And you dislike them?"

"They- weren't the best," Harry said.

"They are muggles," she said as if this solved everything. At Harry's look she added. "Alright, alright, so if them being muggle didn't fuel your dislike, what did?"

Harry paused. He hadn't anticipated the conversation to take this turn, and found it rather uncomfortable. He'd hardly spoken to this with Sirius and Remus after all.

"It's all right, Potter," Karissa said in a surprisingly soothing voice. She wasn't going to say 'Harry' and be a comfort in the same breath- that would be crossing the line, but she said it once no less. The girl looked at Harry in curiosity, waiting with the most unseen expression on her face. It was a cross between curiousness and… was that reassurance?

Whatever it was, it was hardly something that occurred often, and it was that that urged Harry to tell the girl sitting next to him, ignoring the voice that said it was an idiotic idea that would not at all be cared for. For some reason unknown to his godfather, 'uncle', and even a bit of himself, he trusted Krissy as much as he cared for her. He didn't know yet if that was a good thing or not, but for now, he didn't care.

"They- well, they hated magic for one, so obviously I wasn't exactly a favorite. I- er- didn't exactly grow up precisely like my cousin, Dudley, but it was still manageable." Harry stopped himself there. Even though he was sure he didn't have to worry with Krissy, he still wasn't too fond of pity or sympathy.

"Why didn't you move in with Remus earlier on then?" Karissa knew about the imprisonment Sirius had met, but was sure Remus would've allowed Harry to live with him. The man seemed as fond of Harry as Sirius did.

"There's still that stupid law about werewolves," Harry said, bitter about said laws. "At the time, Remus couldn't get custody because of his condition."

"Oh." That was all Karissa managed to supply. Then, "What about the present time? What's the story with that?"

"Oh, I started living with them in the beginning of fifth year- Peter Pettigrew was caught and Sirius was freed." He wouldn't go into more details about where they lived. Harry didn't think neither Sirius nor Remus would appreciate that.

"Peter what? What's he got to do with anything?"

Harry hesitated for a moment, debating whether or not he should tell the story. After a second though, he realized it couldn't much harm. It was after all, in the newspapers, so what was the point of hiding information that could be found anywhere? So he told her about how Sirius switched Secret Keepers, how Peter had betrayed them and set Sirius up, and how Peter ran off living as his best friend's pet rat for nearly twelve years. Karissa had heard a few scraps of this from Reg, but never the whole story.

"-so when the ministry found out the truth they gave Sirius a bunch of gold. Not much to make up for twelve years of prison, but at least they tried to fix it and all. Now Sirius and Remus have years to make up for, and Sirius seems especially keen on pranking here and there again." Harry concluded with a laugh.

"Ever immature," Karissa said.

"Well he deserves a break," Harry said. "I mean, he lost two of his best friends, maybe three if you count Peter, so it's good that he's happy now." Karissa noticed how he said this with a particularly cheerful smile.

"What about your parents?" she said. He was always untroubled when he spoke of his parents, godfather, and Remus. "What's the romantic story on them?"

Harry laughed. "From what I'm told, my mum hated my dad and his friends for the first couple of years because of how they acted. My dad spent years asking mum out, and finally when he'd seen things deeper than what they were I guess, she said yes."

"And had you," Karissa said, contemplating, and flicking his ear. "Harry. Couldn't they have thought of a more expressive name than Harry?"

Said boy rolled his eyes. He was far too used to her blunt comments to be offended. "Actually, I rather like my name."

"You would. No honor in it whatsoever." The slight smirk told that she wasn't entirely serious.

"There's a lot more honor in it than Rochelle," he said surely.

Karissa turned her head towards Harry's, raising a slick brow. "That almost sounds like a spice."

"Actually, I think it's a rock," Harry said thoughtfully.

"Well," Karissa huffed. "That's not nearly as interesting as Black names."

Harry turned his head to look at her. He looked a bit uncertain in Karissa's opinion "If you don't, er, mind me asking, how come your name wasn't a constellation?"

"Figured that out have you?"

Harry rolled his eyes slightly, lips twitching. "It wasn't too hard."

Karissa was thoughtful for a moment. "I'm not sure exactly. I'm told it was my father's choice of the name- John Michael Lupin- but I've not heard of the reason behind it. I expect it must have been good, since Mother agreed and named her only daughter it. They were friends, I'm told."

"Your parents? They-" Harry stopped himself mid-sentence, suddenly unsure what to say.

"Oh I've heard the story at least once a year," Karissa picked up. "It's something that all the dinner guests are presented with at some point."

Harry looked at her with polite interest, curiousness shining from his eyes.

"It's a long story," Karissa tested, and then sighed when he only looked back with a manner of patient listening. "All right then, I suppose I owe you for telling me about my brothers and your home life."

Harry couldn't help but smile a soft, rare (for him), smile. It was reasons like this that he found why he cared for Krissy. No matter how proper and arrogant she wants to appear, there's this gentle side of her that always made Harry's insides feel warm, especially when Krissy turned that side to him. Not that he would ever say this out loud- for it was far too corny- but even he couldn't deny to himself that it was true.

"So," Karissa began. "My mother, Walburga Black and John Michael Lupin, you know him, he's Remus' father, were betrothed at birth. But John Lupin, nor his family, was ever informed of this because at the time because his father and mother were least respected from their status as blood traitors- even though both were pureblood. Anyway, John Lupin and Rebecca Lee, a muggleborn witch, fell in love, married and had Remus. In the same year, Walburga Black and Orion Black were married and had Sirius. They hadn't been told about the betrothed either. Walburga and Orion were second cousins by the way- they're grandfathers were brothers. Anyway, it wasn't until after Regulus was born to them that they were informed of the betrothal. Orion and Walburga were thrilled to have a chance of lengthening the pureblood family, no matter even if the Lupins were blood traitors.

"At this time though, Rebecca Lupin had fallen ill and died. John Lupin had been distraught I'm told, and was ever more protective of his son. The arranged marriage had been in the backs of the Black's minds at the time though, because this was around the time Lord Voldemort started gaining power. It wasn't until later that it was remembered, though the Lupins were still in the dark. Anyway, there's this policy that's known as the Pureblood Agreement, which was made specifically for reasons of arranged marriages and lengthening the pureblood population.

"Walburga and Orion had that agreement and departed for some years. Walburga went to where the Lupins lived, and began to start a formal relationship. My mother was under the impression that John Lupin knew of the arranged marriage, while he didn't. He did, however, want a mother for Remus, so after two years, married Walburga Black. He didn't expect her to have the Pureblood Agreement since her maiden and married name was both Black. She traveled back to Orion and the Ancient House of Black, informing Orion of the news. Everyone was still under the impression that everyone was on the same page. Walburga traveled back and forth, everyone still being oblivious to the complete situation. Lord Voldemort was getting steadily stronger, so in result they decided it was not time to raise a pureblood just yet.

"Then, sixteen years later I was expected to be born. Weeks after it was said, John Lupin was caught with an illness, and it was then that my mother commented that it was about time the bloodlines are passed down, and that this Agreement had lasted far longer than expected. She said that if he were to die it was at least worthy that another pureblood would replace him. That was when the uproar began. The Lupins knew nothing about this Agreement, and suddenly the Blacks were informed that Remus was a werewolf, and both parties were shocked when enlightened.

"John Lupin wanted to share custody, but my mother refused to allow her child to grow up with a werewolf in the house. I have not been told the reason why, so I don't know about the prejudices or werewolves. Back to the story. The vicious argument was unnecessary, though, for John's sudden and quick illness caused him to die. So my mother returned back to the Ancient House, the Agreement was fulfilled, and I'm told that Remus and Sirius were flat mates at the time, since they were in a 'war' and whatnot and I'm guessing your parents had a house or whatnot. Anyway, fifteen later and here I am- Karisstania Rebecca Black."

Karissa took a deep breath. She knew the story by heart, after hearing it over many meals how could she not? She looked over at Harry, who had been quiet throughout her whole tale. "You were not informed of any of this?"

"I knew about Remus' mother and father and the part about flat mates at the end, but other than that, no. And-" Harry suddenly halted in what he was saying, and snapped his head towards the direction of the woods, some fifty feet away.

Karissa looked from Harry to the seemingly empty woods with a haughty expression. "What?"

"Shh," Harry said gently, and quickly got to his feet.

"Where are you going?" Karissa hissed at him.

"There's someone over there, I heard them stumble on something," Harry replied in equally quiet tones. He moved to go in the direction, but Karissa immediately picked herself up and hopped after to where he stood. "Maybe you shouldn't-"

"I'm coming," Karissa said finally, giving him a hard look. Silently sighing, Harry crept over, one finger over his lips in a sign to be quiet.

Silently they made their way over to the bushes that bordered the forest, Karissa trailing behind Harry and mimicking his actions since she'd soon discovered that he had good judgment of which leaves and sticks wouldn't break under his feet.

Harry came upon the bush in question and, without second thought, wand ready, yanked it aside to find-

a little girl huddled in a pile of leaves. There were very faint whimpers coming from her, and when the branches were removed her head snapped up to look at the two stunned teens with fearful eyes.

"Krissy-"

"What is-?"

Neither had time to ask or answer anything, for at that precise moment there was a sudden stream of curses that could be heard being shouted from the other side of the field, bits of tree becoming engulfed in flame as magic hit their trunks.

"It's an attack!"

"Run!" Karissa shrieked.

"But the girl-"

"We haven't got the time!"

Another tree down.

"Come on!" Harry said. He quickly scooped the little girl into his arms, and he and Karissa darted down the path that led away from the woods, turning left from the attackers.

"What are they doing?" Karissa screamed as the pair dodged yet another blow.

"Keep running! Get your wand ready!"

They flew past Hagrid's hut, leaping up and diving up the Quiddictch field hill.

"Krissy!" Harry said, and yanked the girl by the arm closer as a beam of fire shot past the young Black's ear. It singed the bottom of the silver earrings she wore.

They dashed behind an out crop of a boulder. The girl in Harry's arms began to cry into his shoulders.

"Oh of all the things-" Karissa started snappishly.

"Krissy," Harry said sharply in that irritated tone.

The spells shot were getting closer, soon pieces of the rocks were being cracked with loud effect.

"We can't just sit here," Harry said.

"Well what is your suggestion? I highly doubt skipping out and introducing oneself will halt their spells!"

"We're going to have to run."

"And ignore the spells being fired for our backs!"

Harry peered over the rocks, then crouched back down. "Krissy, you have to hold her, and we'll run. I'll cover your back, we've got to go now!"

Karissa, though bitterly, was one to say that she was hardly any good at curses despite her background, and nodded grouchily before taking the little girl from Harry's arms.

With that the two leapt up, Karissa running for the castle while Harry shot disarming and stunning curses back at the attackers- which happened to outnumber them by many.

"We're almost there!"

"Stuplify!" Harry shouted, and knocked the last three down and unconscious.

"Have they gone?" Karissa asked, panting.

"I think so," Harry said. "Come on-let's sit and see if there are anymore."

The three raced to the castle wall.

"Harry," Karissa said, grabbing the raven haired boy's attention immediately. His attention had already been on them though, and the two fifth years looked down into the small face that was hiding behind shaking arms. They could see a pair of startled blue eyes behind thick black hair and tan arms. The girl looked to be three at most. The girl looked at the pair of them, startled, and threw herself in Harry's quick arms, burying her small head into his chest. She was still clutching Karissa's hand.

"We need to get her into the Hospital Wing," Harry said urgently.

"Hurry, then!"

The two raced into the castle, the girl in their arms, and was in the Grand Hall in seconds when they heard four voices call out.

"Look!"

"There they are!"

"Karissa!"

"Harry!"

The pair spun around to see Sirius, Remus, Severus, Regulus, Dumbledore, McGonagall and Madem Pomfrey rushing towards them.

"Where have you been?" Pomfrey began to screech, but was soon ignored at Sirius and Remus hurried to Harry's side while Severus and Reg went to Karissa's. Needless to say, they all ended up in a big group.

"I think we'd all better go to me office," Dumbledore said seriously, and led the group quickly to his quarters.

"Where have you been?" Sirius said, half stern half relieved, to his godson. "We've been searching the entire castle for you-"

"What happened?" Harry said.

There was an outbreak of conversation as the two Marauders engulfed Harry in worried conversation while Reg and Snape did the same to Karissa. McGonagall and Madam Pomfrey were speaking with Dumbledore.

"How could this happen! They could've been maimed!" McGonagall said furiously.

"I think it time that we inform our two students of the miss-happenings that have been occurring," the headmaster said. "Harry, Karisstania," Dumbledore began, then looked gravely at the girl in Harry's arms. "Harry, who is that?"

"I don't know, sir," Harry said, the girl still clutched to his chest. "We found her near the forest as the attackers were coming closer."

Dumbledore walked over with a raised wand towards the girl. "Lift her head, Harry. I need to identify her." When Harry did, the room suddenly went very uncomfortable, for everyone's eyes were suddenly glued to the headmaster's face.

Dumbledore's eyes widened into a surprise expression hardly any of them had seen before. He stood there for a moment, staring at the girl who had her eyes closed, then raised his wand and said something quietly under his breath. A white, faint cloud rose up. Dumbledore bowed his head.

"Professor?" Harry asked, glancing at Krissy for a split second. What was going on?

"Who is she?" Sirius asked, looking at the girl. "Why would she be in the forest at this time?"

"Is she one of the children Harry and Karissa care for in the week?" Remus asked, trying to decipher if he'd seen this child before.

"This girl is not one of the foreign wizards' children," Dumbledore said, taking a deep breath. His voice was still as strong as ever, gentle, powerful- but there was a note of tiredness in it as well. "This is one of o the roaming people." There was a gasp of surprise by the two female professors, and building conversation from the adult wizards. Dumbledore held up a hand for silence. When the effect was immediate, he turned and spoke directly to Harry and Karissa. "The roaming people, as your families have already informed you, have only recently been discovered. They have inhabited on the Hogwarts grounds for quite some time now."

"What-" Karissa and Reg started, but Dumbledore again raised his hand and went on as if he had not been interrupted.

"The roaming people have different histories of their own, different stories, but they have been known before." No one in the room had a clue what the man was saying. "I trust that I should tell you, since every adult here is under wizard's oath to secrecy among the information passed through these walls, and you, Harry and Karisstania, have rescued this child's life from the criminals of these people.

"Therefore I will tell you the origin of the roaming people.

"Long ago, it was realized that some wizards and witches were maimed and taken out of this world from unknown ways. These reasons could have been that of a foreign creature, a young dragon, or a spell gone wrong. When this occurs to a witch or wizard, they are sent to a place that is beyond recognition. A place that is on earth, but halts the growing and aging of the beings. A place that does not allow the wizard or witch to grow unless the vital nutrients are there."

"So are you saying the people have not had much food these past years? Is that it?" Regulus asked.

"The people are different from us in that way, Regulus. They are kept as healthy as they had been when they were struck with an unknown deadly situation, and are kept the same age and mind and person until cured. They do not become hungry in this place, but merely roam about the place they are given until they have what they require to be released from the deadly thing that had put them there.

"People, as it is known, have a beating heart and body that keeps them alive, while we witches and wizards have this and magic in our blood. But what is not known by many is that people need the will to live to in fact stay alive.

"These people who have been bit by a young, not yet dangerous dragon, have been victim to illnesses that spring up, have been cut short- they were sent to this place because the danger attacked most of their life line, but was not strong enough to kill them. They will to survive is the only thing that will save them and allow them to grow and as we say, live again, for even though their hearts are beating, the will that we all have at the moment is not in them. However, the will can or cannot be something that the people see, and so the roaming people can stay in a place forever at the same age. So close to living again they are, but if they do not have the will, they could be roaming forever.

"Some people, when this happens, appear to be dead. This is not always the case, even if their relatives believe it so."

There was stunned silence in which everyone's minds seemed to be completely blank.

Then-

"Sir," Harry said, quietly. "Sir, are you saying that those that have died, they can be brought back if they find the will-"

"My dear boy, I am sorry," Dumbledore said wearily. "But those who have been cursed a killing spell or have died by anything that is complete are dead and cannot return. It is extremely rare for someone to die of something incomplete- such as a diseased dragon's bite or mixed illness. The roaming people's place, as you understand, has been at Hogwarts."

Silence once again, until Snape was the one who broke it.

"Headmaster, am I to understand that the wizards and witches currently occupying the Hospital Wing are those that will have been living perhaps centuries ago and will stay the same age until their will of life is found?"

"No, Severus, they will only be free from their place for one year, and will only be allowed to venture on the location of where their place was existing."

"Sir," Karissa said. "What of the girl? Who is she?"

Dumbledore sighed once again, looking decades older. "This, dear Karisstania, is one of the children that had almost been killed by something incomplete. She was thought to be gone for decades now- from a duel between three wizards. I, my brother, and a former friend had been the three wizards, and when we used magic, she was in the middle of it all. Therefore it was spells that had not been fully completed that nearly killed her and sent her among roaming people for all these years." Dumbledore stopped, rubbing his temples. "This is the daughter of Percival and Kendra Dumbledore."

"So this is," Madam Pomfrey whispered.

Dumbledore closed his eyes, looking far older than any of them have ever seen the headmaster, and taking a deep breath, said, "Ariana Kendra Dumbledore. My younger and only sister."

**A/N**

**I really wanted this chapter to be about Harry and Karissa getting to know each other since it wouldn't be as meaningful if in the later chapters they were fighting to be with each other without really, really knowing the other.**

**Thank you, Andor Swiftblade for suggesting to add a little more of a story to Karissa's history.**

**And thank you, Andor Swiftblade and fatesmask for reviewing!**

**Hope you liked it, and please review! **


	4. The Girl with Sparkling Cadet Gray Eyes

**To: papindlovu and Mike**

**Papindlovu- thanks again:)**

**Disclaimer: Everything reconizable belongs to J. **

* * *

** Chapter Four: The Girl with Sparkling Cadet Gray Eyes**

Regulus Black hated this. Really, he honestly, truly, whole-heartedly did.

It had been four and a half months since his sister and closest friend joined the Hogwart's staff after being appointed by the headmaster. Four and a half months since the Pureblood Gathering. Four and a half months since Karissa developed a friendship with the Potter boy.

Regulus had to admit that he was surprised their companionship had lasted this long without one of them hexed into obviation. Sure he would agree that his sister was not as ill-tempered as their mother -though Karissa certainly did have a temper of her own- and he had heard rumors of Potter being likeable, but really, the two had just been so different.

Through speaking with Severus, Dumbledore, McGonagall, the other professors, and even Remus Lupin, the group had gathered a relatively good picture of the two teens with their information combined. Reg wasn't the only one who was startled about the ongoing friendship. Though no one would say it, the fact was obvious every time either teen was mentioned.

They were just so different, with only minor similarities that should've been an even more of an infuriation to the other.

Hot-tempered, but Harry was reasonable and controlled unless pushed, while Karissa burst with her opinion with no thought of retention. Stubborn, but Karissa usually relented in annoyance while Harry clamped his jaws and held on tighter. Generally nice to talk to but conversations with Harry were comfortable and light while Karissa's were formal and blunt. Loyal, with the only problem being that the people where one person laid their loyalties were no short of enemies with the other's. The list could go on endlessly.

What was worse was that now Karissa was seeing the boy more often. After the meeting in Dumbledore's study- there had been several of those recently- it was decided that because of the Roaming People being so recently discovered, everything was switched around. Literally. Instead of classes five days a week from eight o'clock to three, they were being held four days a week all school year with hour's nine to four, and only in half of the castle. The other half would be closed off to house the Roaming People, foreigners, and the additional new staff members chosen by Dumbledore. Only the selected staff could travel from one portion of the castle to the other, since the headmaster didn't want to risk spies or any guests working on the Dark Side to ambush with access that easy to come by.

The students would arrive in the middle of this month, December, and leave next year at the same time. The times would eventually change back to how it normally, but the time would all depend on what the mystery of the Roaming People turned out to be and when it was finally solved.

Sirius, Regulus, Snape and Remus had been asked by Dumbledore to help train and inform the foreigners, the two Blacks and werewolf would be working full time and staying at the castle if they accepted.

"I have other means to occupy my time with," Regulus had said when offered. "I will however remain an aid to the Roaming and foreigners."

Remus and Sirius had agreed, which was good in the sense that they were now back in the castle everyone thought of as a second home, and bad that they now had to work alongside Snape ten hours a day.

Meetings at Hogwarts had become common over the months. Dumbledore had assigned weekly dates that had wizards and witches grouped off by age to practice dueling. Some staff members aided the foreigners, while others simply worked on dueling in the free hours they were given.

On top of that, Dumbledore had asked that Harry and Karissa resume their posts as looking after the foreigner's children until school started, in a mere three weeks. It seems the foreigners rather liked the two teens watching their kids. Why his sister was the one stuck looking after brats all day, Regulus hadn't a clue.

Then the Potter boy's best friends, Ron Weasley and Hermione Granger, were sent to work at Hogwarts as well. Though they were assigned to help out Hagrid, Hogwarts' gamekeeper, and were not able to see Harry most of the day, they were both residing at Harry's house until the school year started.

That had been better, Reg admitted to himself. At least the blood traitor and mudblood were not working in the same stations as Karissa. Knowing how close that boy is to his friends, he would've lured Karissa into being in the presence of those filthy-

"Reg?" a voice behind him said, making the man turn to see his sister standing in the center of the room. She was already dressed in a low-key version of her dress robes, her now official uniform for Hogwarts.

"Of course," he said, rising to his feet and coming to stand tall next to her. "Let us go. I believe Mother and Father will be in attendance as well."

Karissa gave him a probing stare. "Anything on your mind, brother?" she asked him, wary. "You seem tense today."

Reg didn't answer, however, but simply took the arm Karissa held out and Disapperated with a small pop.

He refrained himself from having a responding thought when he saw his sister immediately search for the boy, fighting harder to bite back a cry of irritation when they both realized Potter's eyes had been searching for her as well.

Honestly, the boy had no sense of dignity. Reg watched in distain as Harry grinned brightly at Karissa, eyes warm and slightly mischievous. Not in the way Reg's brother's had been (Sirius was the epitome of a family-dishonoring prankster), but in an unusual way. Kind? Teasing? Flirtatious?

Disgusting in Reg's opinion.

He was thankfully sidetracked from watching their exchange any longer when the Great Hall occupants were called for attention.

"Good evening," Professor Sprout, Head of Hufflepuf, said, standing at a podium in front of the staff and invited guests. "As all of you are aware, the school will be starting three weeks from today. Now I know we have been training for the last two months in groups, but today each student and adult will be tested to the best of their ability. They will be called to come to the staff room, where there they will practice dueling against a number of witches and wizards that will progressively grow, depending on how well they do. This is merely a precaution taken to place you in the right grouping if an emergency calls for it. We have accepted additional guests that have been approved to help with the training. This procedure should carry on to the following days. Please listen for your name and report to the staff room. Thank you."

The crowd quickly dispersed, chatting animatedly of the news just given.

Harry went over to where Karissa was standing.

He didn't have the slightest clue as to why, but for some reason he felt a little lighter, and something churn in his stomach as he got closer to the girl who had become a rather close friend (albeit an arguing one, but still a close one if it counted). It also didn't help when said friend smirked slightly at him, eyes sparkling, and making Harry notice just how sparkly her eyes were, the graceful but child-ish curve in her cheek when she smiled, and the way her eyes seemed to be telling him something just by looking, some piece of her that was obviously not revealed to many.

Harry found himself desperately wanting to know what that something was.

"Tell me again why Dumbledore insisted on sending us off to Hogsmede? I know the wizard loves his sweets, but surely he wouldn't risk anything?" Karissa raised a half-challenging, half-curious eyebrow at Harry, who was stowing his wand away and zipping up his coat.

Harry paused midway. "Are you sure you're warm enough in that?" he repeated for the tenth time, looking at the girl's thin robe that she had insisted on wearing. ("There's simply no reason not to wear my standard robes. Oh, hush, Harry, I'll be fine.)

The girl rolled her eyes for the ninth time. She had personally thought it had been quite tactful of her to refrain from it the first time, and had told as much.

"I'm just checking," Harry said, walking forward a few steps into the small village. He offered her his arm as a small piece of at least some warmth, and Karissa found herself taking it immediately. "It's below twenty out here you know."

Karissa sighed. "You sound like Kreacher now. I assure you, I am fine."

Harry shook his head, mumbling something about girls and fashion. He was obviously referring to her reasoning spiel that had come after denying a jacket. "And to answer your question, Dumbledore's probably just trying to lift their spirits a little," by 'their' the two knew that he was talking about the children they had been assigned to watch, "you know how he likes to lighten the mood, especially this close to Christmas."

"Oh, yes, and so he sends his students out when a bunch of Roaming, decades old, People, have been discovered on the grounds?"

"You have to risk some stuff, Krissy," Harry said, fake-pompously. "If you don't risk anything, what's the point of it all?"

"The point is that the headmaster is a dimwit when it comes to his students," Karissa answered with a sneer, thinking of their headmaster.

Harry stopped. "Why do you say that?" His voice was curious, but obvious to Karissa that he didn't appreciate her insulting the headmaster Harry was obviously fond of.

Karissa swirled around to face him, raising her eyebrows. "Harry, how many headmasters, no wait, adults, do you know that would send kids out when there was obviously something wrong when the Roaming People were first discovered? We were on a field, Harry, away from the castle, and we're 5th years."

To that Harry had nothing. "Look," he eventually said, sighing. "That probably wasn't his best move, but you've got to admit that he was one hell of a leader in the war, and he makes Hogwarts a little more light-hearted than some others would have it. Plus, he's got his sister now."

"I haven't the slightest idea of what that has to do with Dumbledore's manners, but you do have a point." Karissa frowned, taking Harry's opened arm as the two walked on again. "What have you heard of her? She's the youngest out of them all."

Harry nodded, eyebrows slightly creased. "I know. I don't know how she got stuck between life and death, but she is only three," he glanced at Karissa, "and who knows how long she's been there… Remus had said something about her mother and father dying right before she became part of the Roaming People. To think Dumbledore's sister's been there the whole time…" he trailed off.

"You don't think he knew about it?" Karissa said.

"No," said Harry, holding the door open as they entered Honeydukes. "He would've done something if he had. He's protective of his students." Harry then looked around, noticing a man within hearing distance flicker his gaze at him and Karissa curiously. "Maybe we should talk about this er, at the castle."

Karissa nodded, airily looking around. "You're probably right. I really don't like that," she added, frowning.

Harry laughed, wondering again how she always managed to get him out of his serious moods. He inhaled deeply, dramatically. "I feel like we just talked about the Constitutional Convention or something. And to think we're in a store that sells nothing but candy."

"Though I have no idea what that is," Karissa informed him, "I quite agree with your meaning. It has gotten rather informative in the last few minutes."

"We'll have to prevent that next time," Harry said, mock-knowingly. "Merlin knows what could happen if we get too serious."

"Oh but of course," she mimicked, following suit. His jokes were really not that humorous, but she found herself copying his smile.

"So, back to what you said before, what books and treats did Dumbledore want for the kids?"

"Let's see," Karissa said, and then began listing off the names on the list the headmaster had given them.

The two quickly found the aisles that the needed materials were in. After half an hour of searching and mindless chatter, they now sported a half dozen of bags, filled to the top with sweets.

When they were at the edge of the small store's shelter, Harry insisted on giving Karissa his coat.

"But you'll be freezing," Karissa protested. "It's barely above ten degrees!"

"I have these bags," Harry said, holding up all of their purchases. "It'll be enough to block the wind." And with that he stepped out of the store's roof's shelter, and into the street-light lit plaza. He looked back at Karissa, patiently waiting for her. A moment later she came, giving him a hard look. "I saw what you did there."

Harry only cracked a small smile, giving her a look that overwhelmed his face with innocence.

The next store they went to was the same, scratching off the list more and more as the night went on.

"The things Muggles do," Karissa said three hours later, rolling her eyes with a superior air and gesturing up at the speakers that hung from the ceiling. "Out of all the stores we've gone to, this one seems the worst. Who in their right minds play Muggle music in a wizarding store? Listen," she said, waiting a moment to so they could both hear the words. " _'Like sleeping in on Sunday, laughter we never fake Bob Marley in summer, 'One Love' for each other_' Who- who sings that? Oh, but wait, it gets better._ 'Everyone is looking for a special connection_

_But it's like your compass points a million directions'_ there is only one needle in a compass, therefore, more than one direction at a time is impossible. _'Do you need me to buy you a telescope so you can see? How good this could be?'_ certainly a lot better if you need a telescope to look through. Obviously, if you can't see, a telescope is definitely not the remedial object you go to. Hard enough to get your eye to look through it anyway. What are these muggles thinking?"

"It's actually quite easy to see once you have the big picture, Krissy, and maybe, the needle got so crazed that it split apart and it now points in ever which direction. This could be a miracle song," Harry told her. He was leaning back on a nearby shelf, amusement and cordiality deep in his eyes even when he laughed.

Karissa pretended to scowl, laughing when Harry pretended to mimic her with an exaggerated impatience that an old man waiting for food to drop from a vending machine would wear. "I'm the one who should be laughing, this song is atrocious. Should've been obvious, of course, seeing how Muggles wrote it.

"There's nothing wrong with Muggles, Krissy," Harry said as casually as he'd say there's nothing wrong with the sky. Which, let me tell you, Karissa could definitively disagree otherwise. "And besides, what's so wrong about muggles?" They had had this conversation dozens of times, though it never lasted too long.

"They're- muggles," she concluded. "Aristocracy of the Wizarding World, that is far more appropriate. Oh, even the common wizards are better."

Harry raised an eyebrow, though not nearly with as much flair as Karissa. "The muggle aristocrats are probably the same as wizards- drinking and spending every night eating the same food."

"But," Karissa deadpanned, "Magical folk have far more reason to. And what's wrong with aristocrats?" The Blacks were not of them, but were certainly as close as anyone could get.

"Nothing," Harry said. "I just think that they're a lot like muggles. And any status of muggle is the same as magical."

"That is like saying a rose is as simple as a gem. There is a completely developed, fine line between the two. Just as there are magical folk and muggles. I don't even need to use more than sight to know that about them."

"You couldn't live in a muggle world," Harry observed.

"Just as you seemingly cannot live in my world."

"I could," Harry said before he could stop himself. Something about her and world pushed the words out. Probably because the 'her' was Karissa, and the world was also of Karissa. "I mean, it's not too hard, is it?"

"Certainly easier than a muggle world."

"Alright," Harry said, a small, mischievous smile playing on his lips. "Then you spend a day as a muggle, one day, and see how different it is from your life."

"That is ridiculous," Karissa scoffed. "I'm not going to go wandering around a Muggle neighborhood for twenty-four hours. They have these machines that skid around everywhere."

"Cars," Harry said. Karissa was glad his tone was not condescending, or even like the tone a teacher would use with a student. "And I can show you the Muggle World. Actually, we'd only be going to one place, so you wouldn't have to be around the traffic." A plan was slowly forming in Harry's mind. Over the last few months, he realized that Karissa liked only a few things. They were music and dance. He would try to have that as the main muggle thing they'd do. Somewhere. He sifted through his mind all the places he'd been (which weren't a lot) and stopped when he realized Krissy hadn't given an answer yet. She hadn't even conceded. Merlin, he wasn't going to yank her by the wrist into this plan. "Or, I can bring in muggle things that you can compare to the things at Hogwarts. The magical ones will be better for some stuff by far, but muggles might surprise you-"

"Harry," Karissa cut off his rambling, a blush surprising both of them when it was recognized. "I shall accompany you on this meeting in the muggle world. But-" she said, grinning cheekily, "you have to accompany me at one of the dinner parties that will take place in the follow months."

Harry smirked. "Sounds fair."

The two exchanged a smile, looking into each other's eyes. It lasted a second too long, and soon they were picking up their bags and looking anywhere but each other.

This is stupid, Harry thought, angry at himself. There's nothing wrong with her, it's your own fault you happen to think she's fiery and gorgeous and has an amazing personality and-

Harry stopped himself right there. He was sure he sounded like an idiot next to Karissa's probably casual thoughts.

"I've got it," he said, looking up at the girl's eyes. He reached for the last bag, hauling it on his shoulder.

Karissa nodded, taking back her empty hand from where she had it in the air, searching for the straps. "Is that everything?"

Harry pulled the list out, eyes immediately zeroing in at the bottom. Good. "One more thing- parsley."

Karissa wrinkled her nose. "And you say Dumbledore is sane- who requests parsley for little children?"

"I think Madam Pomfrey asked for it, Matt's got a cold. He seems to like you," Harry said, grinning.

In the beginning of October, when Karissa had had her biggest fit about the children wiping their noses on her, she and Harry were sent to the corridor again. Obviously, Harry wasn't happy with how she'd barked at the kid, and had told her. They were out there longer than before. When they got back, one thoroughly insulted in every which way and the other told off for something that was gross, they didn't resume talking until two weeks after, when Harry approached her and had carefully asked if they could talk. He didn't back down from his argument, but he also made a few points to Karissa, who grudgingly admitted to overreacting. Ever since then the kids, who were now not at all screamed at for standing within two inches of the girl, seemed to smother Karissa with hugs and requests for her to read to them. Whether they did it just because they could, or Harry had encouraged it, Karissa didn't know. ("They like you, Krissy. What's so unusual about that?" something about the way his eyes shined made her go with her second theory.)

Now, with Matt sick, he's been curled up next to Karissa while she filled out papers, often falling in her lap when it got later in the day.

Karissa rolled her eyes. "That is because you put them up to it, and Matt was simply using the closest solid thing he could find to pass out on."

"Krissy, they like you. Face it- you're not as cold as you wish to be."

"Who said I was wishing? Alright, don't give me that look; I can see your lips twitching. Merlin, you might want to get that looked at."

Harry chuckled. "I'll look for something while I get the parsley. Stay here, I think I saw it in the back." He had soon discovered that Karissa was scared of rats, which were dominating the floor at the back of the store.

Karissa nodded, watching as Harry ambled away. It still struck her as odd that he didn't strut. Everyone in Slthyerin strutted. Even the owls.

She grabbed one of the many bags surrounding her, looking through it yet again for something to do. She barely paid any mind to the sudden squeal-ish laughter and conversation that erupted from the store's entrance as a cluster of girls walked in.

The noisy group moved to the register, pooling in front of a display of witch cosmetic; sparkly and neon- sordid, thought Karissa.

Five minutes passed while Karissa picked up a nearby book, when the sound stopped, declining into a hush of whispers and giggling. Karissa didn't even bother to look up until she heard a familiar voice say a polite, "excuse me."

She turned toward the group to see them part dramatically in two, let Harry pass, parsley in hand, and then collide together with an even more raucous chorus of whispers and giggling. This time she noticed the looks passed among the girls, and how a few were fixing their hair and robes.

"Haven't seen you around here very often," one of them said. A blonde with fluttering eyelashes and sharp hips. "Oh, wait, you go to that boarding school up the road, don't you? How old are you? Seventeen eighteen?"

"Oh, he doesn't look older than sixteen," another said.

"Fifteen," said Harry finally, not looking at the girls.

"That's too bad. Not even done up there. We'd always have room at our school if you ever want a change," she offered, smiling libidinously at Harry.

"Oh, stop it, Brit, he goes to Hogwarts. I heard they have only the best academics there," another said, black hair this time. Long and curly with a slim physique. "And clearly the best students," the girl added, not so subtly looking Harry over, from his chest, down, then back up, resting on his face.

Karissa felt a surge of irritation. Alright, she could see why they would take notice- she had the first time they met. And, as Karissa looked, Harry looked attractive even in this dingy little shop. Harry appeared graceful even standing, slightly muscular but thin, his plain T-shirt sticking to him from where the wet snow was sticking. Strong, sharp cheekbones with the right shadows casted, long eyelashes (not girl-ishly so) that were around brilliant emerald eyes, while crazy black hair stuck to his face in some places because of the drying snow that had gotten in. A very slight blush was crossing his cheeks.

But honestly, Karissa thought with a bit of annoyance and, she flushed to admit, jealously. They were very pretty girls after all. Very pretty girls who were making a scene while it really was neither subtle nor necessary.

"Thank you for the offer," Harry again, still polite. "But I think I'll have to pass. I'm actually here with a friend of mine, and we should be heading back." His eyes however, looked a tinier bit harder. Not at all the way they shone whenever he teased Karissa. He turned to give the cash register five sickles.

As the man wrapped the plant, the girls kept going.

"Well, come and visit any time," a redhead said, laying an arm on Harry's back while a second blonde placed one on his shoulder. "Here, take our floo addresses, we could show you around some time. See the village. You'll have the VIP special."

"I appreciate the offer, but I really should be going," Harry said, turning back around with a bag in hand. He gently but pointedly took the girls' hands from off his body, and walked away from the counter.

He blatantly ignored the calls from behind- it was noisy enough in the shop that he could easily pretend to not hear their pleas.

"Got it," Harry said once he was back to where Karissa stood. "You wouldn't believe what went on in that line. Whatcha reading?" He turned his head to the side. " 'Gemstones and Plants: A Healer's Aid in the Art', you're studying to be a healer?" Harry asked, surprised.

"No, no," Karissa said, pushing the book back onto the shelf. "I mean, I've been curious about it for many years, but Mother and Father could never find anything on it believe it or not. Apparently not with plants and stones and whatnot. I'll simply have to ask Kreacher to get it."

"I never knew that," Harry said. Then he frowned. "It seems kind of popular if you can't find it." He looked back at the book, and then, without another thought, plucked it easily back from the shelf and set the parsley bag on the ground in front of the girl. "Be right back."

"Where are you going?" Karissa demanded, more shocked than anything. "What- what are you doing with my book?"

"Making it your book," Harry answered easily.

"We don't have any of the budget left for that Harry, a mere two sickles. That book will cost more, and I hardly thought to bring anything with me. I can get it some other time; it will be easy to come by."

Karissa knew this was a lie, and from the look Harry gave her, so did he.

"I brought some extra money, just in case," Harry explained "Harry-"

"No, you cannot pay me back, it's a gift."

She sighed, opening her mouth again to retort when Harry spoke before her.

"Krissy," he said softly, looking at her worried face. "Don't worry, its fine. I want to."

Karissa laughed humorlessly. "I was going to say your fan party is still there, by all means go ahead."

Karissa had no idea what was on her face, but Harry somehow sensed that she was itching to go with him. And frankly, he'd rather have her there than a million of those girls pawing at him. So, he picked up the bag, shrinking some and putting those in the bigger bags, until his right arm was slung over with their goods of the day.

"Come with me?" he said, smiling, and dramatically offered his arm.

She rolled her eyes. "You are the epitome of corny." She told him, taking his arm.

They walked over to the cash register yet again; this time with the girls in front. They were paying for Merlin knows what. Guessing from the half empty cosmetic display, they were the reason it was there.

One of the brunettes flipped her hair, catching a glimpse behind her as she did. When she saw Harry, she brightened.

"You're back, Hogwarts boy, thought you were in a hurry to leave or something."

"That is correct," Karissa said coldly, earning her a sharp look from the girl. She returned it with a audaciously questioning brow.

"We," Harry said, holding Karissa just a little bit closer, "are. We just need something else."

"Hmm," the girl said, looking between Harry and Karissa, to their playful pompous arm bestowing hold. She then peered at Karissa, who had now morphed her face into that of the famous Black look, one that she had perfected over the years; icy with an eyebrow raised, as if daring her to say something about Karissa.

Apparently, this girl was a dare-devil. "Oh, you look amazing," she said in a high-pitched voice that neither Hogwarts's student trusted. "But," the girl peered closer, examining Karissa's now threatening face, "you would look good with a little color, your face is much too pale. My, and what's wrong with your face? It looks pinched in all the wrong places. You do look pretty cute, almost as much as this stunning thing here," she said, winking at Harry. The girls behind the black haired one had turned, and laughed while nodding in agreement.

Harry gave her a sharp look back. "Actually," he said, speaking matter-of-factly. Protectiveness and anger wrapped around his tone. "I think my friend, Krissy, here, is beyond my looks, and anyone else's for that matter. She is gorgeous in every way to can think of without even trying." He looked pointedly at the makeup now packed away in a bag. And instantly, Harry knew that he had said too much, revealed too much. He didn't regret what he said, but he hadn't wanted Karissa to be there to hear it. Harry felt Karissa tense beside him, and frantically hoped she wasn't upset with what he'd said.

The girls looked shocked, and stared for a comically long time before scowling first at Harry than Karissa, slamming into her shoulder as they stomped out one by one. Harry pulled Karissa in a little closer, both so the second girl couldn't hit her and so Karissa couldn't stride away and hex the girls, as the girl looked about ready to do.

There was a pregnant silence once the door slammed shut, and it was then that both teens realized the entire store had seen the scene that had just occurred. Not that the girls and Harry were that loud, but the crowd had dropped their volume so low that even people aisles down were staring.

Harry let go of his hold on Karissa, only keeping close as he handed the cashier the book that was still in his hands. "Just one, please," said Harry quietly, taking out his wizarding coins.

The store was still silent as the man wrapped the book up. "Those were quite some words you spoke just now," he said suddenly, causing Harry to look up. "Those girls that were just in here now- been regular customers ever since they were young. Seventeen years old already. It would be unusual when they take an interest in someone as boldly as they did tonight. They've never been denied as far as I can remember." The man now looked steadily into Harry's eyes. "And never quite told off by someone, especially a male."

Karissa was now completely dumbfounded on what point the man was trying to make by talking about those wretched creatures.

"I may have overreacted, sir," Harry said. "But, with all due respect, none of what I said was a lie."

"Oh, I know, I'm not scolding you, boy," the man said. "I've got a daughter about the same age as those girls, same age as your girlfriend."

Both Harry and Karissa started, and then shook their heads hastily.

"No, sir," Karissa said hurriedly. "We're only friends."

Harry nodded fractionally.

The man gave the packaged book back to Harry, still looking at him steadily. "Alright now, boy. Very well."

"Thank you," said Harry, and, taking the book, left with Karissa at his side.

Silence followed them out of the shop.

"Maybe you should take your coat back?" Karissa said, frowning at Harry's T-shirt attire, which was now getting re-soaked in the freezing air. "Oh, Harry-"

"It's fine, Krissy," said Harry nonchalantly, looking ahead. "Here, I think I saw a carriage up ahead here somewhere, it can probably take us back to Hogwarts."

The two walked in silence, until Karissa sighed. "Harry, I- please explain what happened."

Now, she really expected Harry to say an excuse. That's what she, and anyone else, would do.

"I- I probably shouldn't have said all those things with you there," Harry said instead. "I mean, they were completely wrong with what they said about you, you're so much more b- prettier than those girls could ever be, even with all that makeup. But, still," Harry finished lamely.

"Harry," Karissa said, laughing humorlessly. Were Harry's cheeks a shade darker? "I am a teenage girl, why do you think that would deem as a bother to me?"

Harry glanced over, smiling slightly. Then he stopped altogether, and turned to face Karissa. "I don't know, I guess. I just didn't want you to think it was fabricated, or, I just didn't know what you would think afterwards." I didn't want you to know how much I like you because it's starting to scare me now that I'm realizing.

"Harry," Karissa said, quietly. "That, what you've said, was the most flattering compliment I have ever received. I am glad I was there to hear it, and am also infuriated with those girls."

"Don't listen to them," Harry told her immediately. "They don't know what they're talking about."

That's not why I was mad, Karissa was about to say, but instead decided against it. She felt a little bad. Harry had just told her what was on his mind, which, even though he did surprise her most of the time, was something she'd learned he didn't do very often.

"Of course, Harry. A Black does not listen to powdered witches," Karissa said quietly instead, actually smiling up at Harry. Harry returned it.

They stood in silence for a couple of minutes, staring. It wasn't awkward, as it would sound if they ever told anyone- which they probably wouldn't. It was nice. For once it seemed that Karissa had dropped her regal, pedestal-high act, showing Harry a much bigger part than he'd ever seen, just through her eyes.

They stayed there for a moment, until Karissa whispered. "Harry, you're turning blue."

Harry looked into her eyes. She looked back up at him. They were so close, he began leaning down, slowly, eyes never leaving hers-

-until he suddenly stopped himself, pulling back.

They stood for a moment, both trying to gather their bearings, and wondering what exactly just happened.

"Thanks again for the book, Harry," Karissa said. "Though it was needless to pay for it and I could've lived without- I appreciate it."

"Of course," Harry said, grinning. "But, since you're going to find the cure to dragon disease with that book, it was the least I could do."

Karissa rolled her eyes. "I'll remember that when you lie covered in pink dots."

"Oh, please do."

She rolled her eyes, emitting yet another laugh from Harry.

"What is it you always find so funny, now?" Karissa asked, exasperated. "With every day I see you; you always seem to laugh at something. Things are hardly that humorous."

It was Harry's turn to lightly roll his eyes. "You don't always have to laugh when something it funny, Krissy. You just laugh when you laugh."

"When you feel light?" Karissa said sarcastically.

"Exactly," proclaimed Harry with a grin.

Karissa then stooped down and, quick as a flash, grabbed a small pile of snow that she quickly hurtled at Harry. She let out a long peal of laughter, watching as the boy stood in shock as slush dripped down his front.

"Alright, come here," Karissa said, her laughs smothering. It still felt very odd to full out laugh. Then again, Harry was very different from her Slytherin friends. "Let's go. Now you're really going to get cold-"

But Harry was hardly going for that. With an evil grin, he ducked. Shooting straight past her, Harry snatched up a large handful of snow, blowing on it so that it floated directly to Karissa's hair and face.

"Stupid gentleman," Karissa muttered to herself. She'd seen Harry playfully rough-housing with the children more than mere snowflakes and teasing. Merlin knows how fond he's grown of them, whether he admits it or not.

And so, left with only one option, Karissa ran forward, looking very much like she was going to try and knock Harry over.

Letting out loud laughter, Harry took a step forward, scooping her up at the last second and slinging her over his shoulder. He grinned as she squealed with laughter. So unguarded and free. Though that may have been because Harry was spinning them in circles.

"Alright, alright, enough of this!" Karissa screamed into the night, her laughter mellowing her demand considerably.

"Are you sure?" Harry said, mirth clear in his voice as well. "I don't know, Krissy. If I let you go, who's to say you won't attack me the moment you're on the ground?"

"Doubting your methods, are we now?"

"You know my snowflakes are golden, Krissy."

"Oh of course," Karissa's voice turned to a perfect mimic of a damsel in distress. "Completely overriding everything. I don't know how I ever stand a chance."

"Oh, don't lose faith, Krissy." She could practically hear him grinning.

"Alright," she said, still slung over his shoulder. "How about I make the argument that if we don't get back to the castle, you're going to freeze to death and I will be left to carry all these bags?"

"And we can't have that happening. Outrageous."

Harry was grinning widely when Karissa was finally put down. His eyes seemed to be even more alight with life and mirth and something else.

Karissa grinned back, not caring for the moment that the two probably looked incredibly stupid to any onlookers. Not that there were any.

"We should head back," Harry said in a quiet, warm voice. "C'mon, I won't be the only one freezing to death if we don't."

The two quickly hiked back up the street, bag retrieved and slung over Harry's shoulder.

"You know," said Karissa when they were halfway to their destination. "I would care if you did die. Not only would you be unable to hold bags, the children would be heartbroken."

"Devastated, I'm sure," said Harry, chuckling and rolling his eyes.

Karissa looked over at him, a beautiful sparkle in her gray eyes. "What's on your mind now, Harry? Please not another joke."

"Actually," Harry said, "I was thinking about where I'm going to take you for our Muggle visit."

They reached the carriage, and, after telling the driver where they needed to go, climbed in.

"I don't suppose you'd tell me beforehand?" Karissa prodded.

"Of course not. That would take away all the fun in it," Harry said.

"Well," Black said. "As long as it has nothing to do with that wretched neon light song, I suppose I shall make it."

Harry only grinned.

"This is for the snow," Harry's voice said, and springing out of virtually nowhere, the boy appeared in front of Karissa, in dry clothes, and a bottle in hand. Seconds later and Karissa had small piles of whip cream on her nose, cheeks, and forehead.

"Harry!" Karissa said, laughing. She promptly swatted Harry's shoulder before snatching up a towel to wipe the offending revenge mechanism away. "That was a bit, Harry. Don't you know to never disturb a girl's face with food?"

"Ah, whip cream keeps people young."

"Is that your philosophy to every argument?"

"Of course not. And besides, I waited a good ten minutes after we got to Hogwarts before I carried out my revenge."

Karissa rolled her eyes, and then lunged forward, only to be stopped by a gentle arm wrapped around her.

"Before this can become a whip cream war, I should tell you Madam Pomphrey just said someone will be here soon to say when its time to go." Harry said, grinning down at her.

"Who's to say I would be the one to stir up a war over whip cream? Scarcely like the thing to be honest."

"You seemed different today," Harry told her then, suddenly, gently. There was still that something in his eyes that Karissa couldn't understand. "Different in a good way. More, happier. It was nice to see." That was an understatement, Harry thought. She was glowing, well, except in that shop, but neither of them really counted that. Harry secretly hoped that a small part of her joyous, care-free mood today had something to do with him.

"I guess I have," Karissa agreed, looking into his beautiful emerald eyes. "Funny how that happened. You're driving me mental, then, Potter."

He gave her a slight smile, which she returned.

Then came the harder part: how to say good-bye. A simple good-bye was never their thing- usually both of them crashed in the Hospital Wing before saying anything, or had a much longer conversation before departure. But, seeing as their families were soon to be there with news of leaving, they couldn't exactly stay and chat.

And so, Harry slowly, very slowly, reached out to wrap his arm gently around Karissa's shoulders. "Is this alright?" he said hesitantly, ready to yank his arm back if she said no.

Karissa, however, simply shook her head, put an arm around Harry's back, and held it there. He then moved so that both of his arms were wrapped more securely around her now, warm. Her second arm came up to hug him.

"Are you two ready?

The two snapped their heads to the front of the room, where Sirius and Snape stood at the door.

"We should get going, Harry," Sirius said quietly.

"Us as well, Karissa," echoed Snape.

The two teens quickly pulled back their arms, nodding slightly to each other.

Harry's eyes were imploringly, seeming to ask, 'Are you going to be alright?'

Karissa felt the tiniest bit of annoyance that Harry would guess Snape would result in something not being right. But then again, she was thinking the same thing about Sirius. One look at the man, both men actually, and you could tell they were clearly having strong thoughts about the scene before them.

And so Karissa simply nodded, and, sharing one last look with Harry, left the room with her godfather.

Later that night, Sirius went to the cupboard and extracted a whiskey bottle, along with two tall glasses.

"Sirius, you're overreacting," Remus said, accepting his filled glass with a frown on his friend.

"They were hugging, Remus, hugging. Blacks don't even teach their kids what hugging is."

"Well, then, Karissa obviously seems to be she's a fast learner."

Sirius scowled at the table.

"Have you even talked to Harry about this yet?" Remus asked, sighing and suddenly thankful to have the drink in his hand. He took a sip.

"Couldn't," Sirius said bitterly. "Pomphrey and Professor Sprout showed up just as we left the classroom, I couldn't talk about Karissa with them there. So now it's not only Karisstania stealing my time with my godson, but the professors too."

"Sirius," Remus said, rubbing the bridge of his nose wearily. "Has it ever occurred to you that Harry and Karissa are good friends? That, like friends, they spend time with each other and are generally not harped on by their families because of that?"

Sirius laughed humorlessly. "That's not it," he said, suddenly just as weary. "Remus, when I was at the Herbs Store to get your wolfsbane ingredients today, I ran into them."

"Oh?" Remus said, raising an eyebrow.

"They hadn't exactly seen me…"

Harry lay down on his bed, staring up at the ceiling. He could hear his guardian's soft voices floating in from the first floor, but that only just made his awareness.

What he thought of was Karissa.

Krissy; with the most unusual but brilliant personality Harry's ever seen, beautiful beyond belief, graceful and clumsy, hilarious even when she wasn't trying, clever and-

Harry sighed, he'd been noticing a new part of Karissa's personality for the last of months, had talked with her and received as much honesty back as he gave, which surprised him.

Harry cared for Karissa. Even if she yelled at him all day, which one day she did, he couldn't stop but think of what he'd say next to her, albeit in an annoyed voice. He couldn't help but think, 'are all arguments going to be like this?' and wishing they had at least talked to each other, even if they were angry. That would've been better than silence.

Harry sighed, fighting the urge to smash his head on his headboard.

Karissa was not just a 'she's different girl' to Harry, that Harry was one-hundred percent certain of.

He didn't even know what he felt about her. Well, he did, but he didn't want to admit it. Not yet. Not while his godfather and 'uncle' disliked her, while, most vitally, he wasn't even sure if she felt anything for him besides as the friend who had bickered at a bunch of girls and who always contradicted what she said.

Harry rolled back over onto his side, thinking of her eyes. Her sparkling, expressive, gorgeous eyes. He tried, for a good solid five minutes to think of what color they were. What exact color.

Tonight, they looked striking, even prettier than usual. Sparkling and showing that bit of Karissa, free and happy and unguarded with her principles and wearing a smile that-

Harry shook his head. Now he was getting a little ridiculously dramatic. But he still flipped through the colors in his mind, thinking…thinking…

They were gray, with a bit of blue in them. Like navy. Warm navy. Like- oh Merlin he was losing it.

He tried other colors, running them through his mind, until he came up with the closest one.

Cadet. Cadet-ish gray color. Sparkling, though, even when she was bored to death and flicked his ear, or when he was bored to death and drummed his finger- in which she would glare heatedly and snap that it was killing her eardrums.

Harry smiled, not caring that he was being such a teenage love-sick fool at the moment, and went to sleep with the thoughts of Krissy in his mind. The girl with the sparkling cadet gray eyes.

* * *

**Did Harry seem too out of character?**

**Oh, and the song Karissa was picking apart is "Neon Lights" by Natsha Bedingfield. I have nothing against this song, its one of my favorites, but I'd needed a song that could easily be questioned if picked apart.**

**Thanks for reading! Please review!**


	5. UPDATE SOON

AUTHOR'S NOTE

First, if you're reading this, thank you so much for putting up with my crazy writing. The timing, style, grammar, and length aren't exactly as best as they could be, so thank you for continuing this story with me. The alerts, favorites, and reviews mean the world to me- so thank you.

Second, I am sorry for the wait. I honestly know how frustrating it is to wait for something to be updated, and I know it's a real pain when it seems like the author is taking their sweet time. For this, I'm sorry.

THIRDLY,

If you are still reading this story, I have set a date where you can expect a new chapter. Every 13th of each month, there will be another chapter. If I update before the 13th, please don't expect another chapter on the 13th. I will try to work as hard as I can to make the chapters long and thought out.

Lastly, please review or PM me any complaints or comments.

Thank you again for reading, and until the 13th.


	6. Friends or What?

Happy Mother's Day!

Chapter 5

"Boo,"

The noise, though etched with laughter, rang out through the nearly empty garden, startling Karissa. The girl whipped around, wand out, and glared into the slightly sheepish, slightly laughing face of Harry.

"Potter," she said with annoyance, scowling, though both of them knew there wasn't any real venom to it. "How many times must I say that a simple 'Hello, Karissa,' is all that is needed to get my attention?"

"Too many," Harry said easily, grinning at her disgruntled face. There was a hint of a smile there that he refused to overlook. "Besides, you've been out here for hours. A bit of excitement was needed."

"A bit of excitement can wait," waved Karissa, turning back to the garden patch she was working on. "I need to collect herbs for a potion Severus and I are concocting. It needs to be done by noon tomorrow, and I've only a quarter."

"Need help?" Harry offered, looking curiously at the plants in her hands.

Karissa glanced at him over the top of her nose. A look which would have appeared far more superior had it not been for the height advantage he had on her.

"Alright then," Karissa finally said. She gestured to a few specifics. "These here, and then this periwinkle sort. Those violet and gold ones would be nice as well, and the curved brown one if you please."

Harry moved over to the bush next to where she was at, silently picking replicas of the plants she pointed out. Karissa would never admit how much she enjoyed his presence, and was secretly delighted that he'd offered to assist when he could've been doing anything he pleased.

Calm yourself, Karissa, she mentally barked to herself. He is merely doing a favor for you.

They worked in comfortable silence for a while, quietly plucking and occasionally flicking weeds at one another.

"How- how is he? Your godfather?" Harry kept his eyes on the plants as he said it, but chanced a glance to the side after a beat of silence. Karissa was glancing back when he looked, holding in a breath.

"He is well," she finally answered, turning her person to get better access at the flowers closest to Harry's hands. "He was most excited for the potion."

Another beat of silence before, "Harry, does you godfather, and Mr. Lupin, do they- have a problem with our companionship?"

Harry tried to fight back a smile at the words 'our companionship'. They sounded lovely on her lips, and he couldn't deny how much he liked the truth in the words. But now wasn't the time to dwell on that. Karissa's eyebrows were knitted together in worry, and this was clearly something she wanted an answer to.

"They're not as happy as they could be," Harry finally said. "Sirius- I guess he's still got a grudge from when he was younger. He wasn't happy with them."

Karissa bit back her comment. She could see how much the boy obviously cared for her half-brothers, and pointing out that their family wasn't even close to happy with him wouldn't do.

"Remus, though," Harry quickly added, seeing the conflicted look on Karissa's face, "He's a little more open to it. He supports our friendship."

Karissa thought about that for a moment, then smiled. "I am glad, then."

Harry returned the smile easily- funny, it always seemed easy when the girl was present- and placed a large heap of herbs in the floating basket beside them.

They looked into each other's eyes for some time. Not, as they would both refuse to admit, reminiscent to the sappy couples in muggle love story movies. No, they were searching each other's eyes. Searching to see what the other was thinking, feeling.

And savoring the eyes staring back at them, of course. But no one really needs to know that.

"And your family?" Harry said quietly, still looking into sparkling cadet gray.

"My parents are not decided just yet," Karissa said, voice equally hushed. "My brother, of course, has his qualms. He and Severus are convinced of their ideas." She smiled slightly. "But I am not sure those ideas will stand the test of time."

Harry laughed. "We'll have to see then."

"And, your friends?" Karissa said curiously. Now that they had breached this topic, she couldn't help but explore every possible crevice. "Hermione and Ron, was it?"

"Yeah," Harry said, slightly surprised that she remembered. Though he did talk about them quite a bit. "Hermione actually likes that we're friends. Ron- Ron's okay with it."

"Okay?"

"Nothing too bad, I suppose."

(Next Scene)

"We've got to break them up."

Hermione Granger looked up at the redhead, feeling exasperation fall on her features and voice. "Ronald, how many times does Harry need to say it, he and Karissa Black are not dating."

"As good as, Hermione!" Ron pointed out, widening his eyes to make his point. "The way he talks about her, and even what Remus says- it's all got dating written on it. Merlin, he's even given her a nickname!"

Hermione beamed at this, laughing slightly at the look of horror on Ron's face. "I'm sure he didn't even release he was calling her Krissy until it stuck."

"So? He doesn't call me Ronny, or you Hermy." At this revelation, Ron flopped down onto the bed and stared desolately up at the ceiling. He and Hermione were in Harry's room, waiting for their friend's arrival from Hogwarts. The duo didn't start working until next week, so the two were stuck studying at the Black/Lupin/Potter Home until then. Well, Hermione was studying. Ron was simply complaining about every aspect of the youngest Black.

Hermione rolled her eyes. "Honestly, Ron, it's just a crush. If even that since Harry refuses to admit anything besides friendship. Now you either stop pecking at them, or I'll replace your Quidditch magazine collection with Ancient Runes literature."

Ron fell silent, mentally sending his best mate a warning not to get too friendly with the girl. Females were scary enough as it is.

Dinner that night was pleasant.

Ron and Harry were desperate to get out and play a few games of Quidditch, and so were both winded and grinning by the time they had returned from five straight hours of being in the air. Ron and Harry sat next to each other at the dinner table, loudly exclaiming the moves and disqualifications that occurred during their game. Hermione sat across from the animated boys, and Sirius and Remus were at each end of the table.

"No way, Harry! Once you get past the field, it's a foul!"

"But if my goal post was at the tree, it had to have been ten feet away! So that meant the willow was your second foul line, and mine was at the-"

"Alright, I think we've had enough Quidditch discussion for one sit down," Remus cut in. Sirius and Hermione laughed at the disappointed looks Harry and Ron were sporting. "I swear you two are more like James and Sirius every day."

"Of course they are!" Sirius said proudly, barking a laugh. "And Hermione is our Moony, of course- rational, good old Moony."

"Speaking of rational," Ron muttered, glancing at the girl.

Harry rolled his eyes. "It'll be good when you two are finally at Hogwarts. There's got to have been a million arguments I've already missed out on."

"Yes, well, you laughing in the corner doesn't help anything," Hermione said. "Especially in the middle of a spat."

"Neutral!" Ron and Harry both chorused cheerfully, guffawing and exchanging a high five.

Hermione rolled her eyes while the two Marauders laughed. "So, Harry, how was Hogwarts?"

"Great," Harry said. "The kids are finally trusting Krissy and I-" and just like that, the room's happy, relaxed atmosphere turned icy and tense. Harry peered around the table, trying not to throw his head back in exasperation when he saw his godfather and best friend sitting tensely and suddenly scowling at nothing in particular.

Harry didn't even finish his sentence as he looked at the unhappy pair.

"Sirius," Remus said firmly. Hermione was sending Ron a scolding look. It would have been funny if the situation was different.

Remus turned back to Harry, obviously a little annoyed with Sirius's low huff in his direction. "What was that you were saying, Harry?"

"Oh- I- Krissy and I were just working with the kids for a little bit today. We had Hospital hours until ten."

"Ten?" Sirius said, snapping his head up to look at his godson. He felt a small stab of remorse when he saw the tense looks on Harry and Hermione's faces, but was too irritated with his lovely little sister to do anything about it. "Weren't you two coming in the castle at around three?"

"Oh, yeah, I was helping her collect herbs after our time was up. We didn't finish until later."

"You spent all your free time with her? Picking herbs?" Sirius said, his eyes looked like solid silver as he stared at Harry.

"Yeah," Harry said, not quite sure what his godfather was thinking as the man's eyes bored into his own.

"I don't think that's a good idea," Sirius said, picking up his fork and stabbing a piece of beef.

Harry's eyes furrowed. "What-"

"Harry," Sirius said again, looking up from where his head was leaning over a plate of food. "I just don't want you to spend any more time than you need to around her. She's not right."

"What is right?" Harry said, voice exasperated and confused. He could see Remus, Ron, and Hermione's looks of surprise at his sudden outburst. Sirius's face held the most surprise. Harry hadn't actually sounded angry since the Shrieking Shack incident, and he wasn't the type to be disrespectful. "Krissy's fine in the head, and she's a good friend. There's nothing different about her except her upbringing."

"That is one of the key reasons," said Sirius stonily.

"But it's the same as yours-"

"She is not me!"

"I-" Harry took a deep breath, trying to calm himself. It was seconds later when he finally said, "I don't understand why you're holding such a big grudge on this. If she was anyone else, anyone, you would have no problem with her as my friend."

"If she was anyone else, there would be no problem," Sirius agreed.

The two stared at each other for a moment while the table remained silent.

"That's not fair," Harry finally said quietly. His voice wasn't meek, nor angered, but it held something that no one at the table could place. "That's not fair to her, or me." He rose from his seat and gathered his plate utensils. "Can I be excused?" he said, looking at Remus.

"You may," the professor said, feeling pity for the boy and annoyance with his friend's behavior. "Set up Ron's bed while you're up there. I've already assembled Hermione's room."

Harry nodded, and, without looking at anyone at the table, took his plate and the dish of food in front of him in each. The moment he walked out of the dining room, Hermione and Ron's eyes darted to Remus and Sirius. Remus had pushed his plate aside and was staring at Sirius with an unreadable expression. Sirius was looking down at his food with a hard set to his face.

"Ron, Hermione, do you mind giving Sirius and I a moment to chat?" Remus said pleasantly, though his eyes never left Padfoot's figure.

Wordlessly, the two took their plates and nearby dishes and left the room, sneaking back as many looks as they could without the adults noticing.

Silence fell once again on the table as the two men waited for the noise in the kitchen to cease and for the footsteps on the stairs to fade away. The moment they did, Sirius swept himself up in a rash movement, snatching his plate and the last remaining dish in his hands, and angrily stormed into the kitchen.

Remus was right on his heels, carrying his own plate.

"I can't believe this!" Sirius said angrily, roughly stowing the dishes in the sink. "That girl, making me argue with my own godson-"

"Karissa has done nothing and you know it," Remus said, showing a hint of rare anger. He glared at Sirius as they worked around the kitchen. "I must say Padfoot, if you don't wish to fight with Harry don't give him unreasonable arguments. His friend happens to be someone we don't exactly approve of."

Sirius laughed a bitter laugh, scrubbing at a plate. "Oh, they're more than friends, Moony. I see the way he looks at her. Talks about her. I know him," he said, hand moving furiously as he glared down at it. "I know that if she didn't mean anything to him, Harry wouldn't put up with all my crap."

Remus pinched the bridge of his nose. "Sirius, can you please just take a moment and think about why Harry would be friends with her. You know how he is, as you have pointed out. He can spot sincerity like a hawk can a mouse. Don't undermine his judgment."

"I am trying to protect him from a whole lot of craziness he doesn't need!"

"Enough, Sirius!" Remus said, slamming a clean plate down. "Harry is allowed to choose his own friends, and unless his safety or wellbeing is in danger, you are not going to decide who you can and cannot befriend."

"But, Remus, she's not good-"

"That enough, Sirius," Remus repeated, putting another dish away. "I'm going to bed. Just decide whether your grudge against your family is worth your relationship with your godson."

And with that, Remus left the animagus to dwell on his own thoughts.

That night, a shadow crept down to the kitchen. Bare-foot and in his pajamas, the boy stopped in front of the kitchen door and peered in to see Sirius staring moodily at a now cold mug of coffee. The man was still wearing his day robes, and had presumably not yet gone to bed.

"Sirius?"

Said man looked up, startled to hear someone at this late hour. "Ron? What are you doing up? It's nearly three in the morning."

"I know," said the Weasley, taking a seat across from Sirius. "I couldn't sleep."

Sirius nodded, stretching. "Well, do you want something to drink? Tea? Milk?"

"No, no, that's okay," Ron said, folding his arms and laying his head atop. "I just need to stop thinking, I reckon."

Sirius smiled slightly. "I reckon so, as well."

Ron looked at the table, an inner battle raging in his head as he fervently glanced at the man and the table.

"Ron, if you've got something to say, just go ahead and say it. I promise you I won't bite," Sirius reassured, cracking a grin.

Ron grinned back, and then let out a sigh. "Well, I- do you think there's something going on with Harry and Karissa?" he blurted out. He immediately wished he didn't as he saw the man's face darken at the thought. "Er, sorry, I didn't mean to-"

"Yes, I do," Sirius said quietly, interrupting the boy. He glanced up. "Don't worry about it, Ron. I'm sure you've noticed quite a lot of signs. And dinner was a blatant give away."

"Yeah," said Ron, who really had no idea what else to say.

Sirius sighed deeply. "I worry about him," he admitted. "Harry, well you know Harry. He can close up like a clam emotionally with some people, or be the most open to others. Depends on the person."

"Definitely," Ron said, thinking about his best mate with his own family. While Harry was always open with Ron, Hermione, and the Weasley twins, the black haired boy was more or less around Ron's parents and sister. Polite, but never too open.

"I was so damn happy when Harry started to loose his shell around me," Sirius went on, seeming to have forgotten he was stilling speaking as he stared at the wall, deep in thought. "Me and Moony. That's the way it should've been. We should've been a family long before this. He should have grown up with James and Lily."

Sirius sat for another moment, still thinking. Then he looked back at his mug, a frustrated frown overtaking his face. "Then he just has to open up to the one person I'd rather he didn't. The one person who he sees as more than a friend."

"He- he doesn't admit it," Ron said quietly, tracing a pattern in the table. "I've asked him about it, but he always denies it. He- he used to tell me that kind of stuff. And now, when it seems like something bigger than that one little crush, he won't even tell me."

Ron took a deep breath, wondering if he should be saying any of this. "I don't- I don't want her with him. I've seen them together once, and I just- I don't like it." He looked up, suddenly worried that the man would berate him for placing his opinion where it really wasn't needed.

But Sirius merely nodded, barking out another bitter laugh. "Believe me, Ron, I know. I don't want that either."

"We could try to break it off," Ron said, wildly throwing out an idea. He really didn't expect Sirius to react to it, nor did he really mean it. How in the world would they do that. But when he looked up, Ron saw that the man's eyes had taken on a slight light to it. A look that he knew was associated with prank planning, or anything of the sort.

"Er, I didn't really mean that," Ron said. When he had suggested it to Hermione, he was proposing a good talking to to Harry, nothing physically trying to break whatever the two had.

"We could try it," Sirius said quietly. He could think of a million reasons why he shouldn't, a million voices telling him to back off and let Harry be happy. But one voice reminded him, that it was Karissa.

Karissa.

Sirius looked up.

Ron was having an inner battle with himself as well.

"I- I haven't got any ideas for this," Ron said finally, addressing the man. "But- I'm in."

Sirius grinned slightly. "I have an idea, then."

Slightly shorter than usual, but I wanted to stick to the 13th deadline.

Until next time, 13th of June at latest.

Next chapter will include:

The beginning and ending of Ron and Sirius's plan

Karissa and Harry's party dates that they bet on (Karissa and Harry will meet each other's families)

Another major fight between Sirius and Harry

I wish I could still use some element of surprise for these events, but I wanted to use this as a promise/proof that I do have plans for the next chapter and I do plan on getting it out by or before the deadline. I'd also like to think there's more surprises in the next chapter to make up for the ones given away.

So, thank you for all your support, and I hope you enjoyed the fic.

Also, thank you to "Hlm"- your reviews were great to read(:

Please review, and thanks for reading!


	7. Chapter 7 What Really Matters PART 1

Chapter 7 What Really Matters Part 1

"Harry," Karissa said, trying- really, truly trying- to keep her voice calm and steady. Her eyes blazed angrily, and her brow was lifted in annoyance. "I don't know what happened, all I know is that when I got back, all the paperwork that I've done was in the fire, and you and the children were the only ones in the History Wing. I'm going to ask again, did you toss my papers or not?"

"Krissy, I told you, I hadn't even seen your papers until you came in and pointed them out," Harry said, sighing in exasperation. He had said this nearly a dozen times now. "Look- I'll help you rewire them if you'd like-"

That was the last straw. After over an hour of arguing, Karissa slammed Hogwarts: A History down, nearly cracking the spine. "I don't want you to help me rewrite the bloody papers I want you to speak the truth in this discussion!" the girl screamed; in that moment living up reputation of an enraged Black.

Harry furrowed his borrows, his jaw setting in irritation. He is being honest! He's always been honest with her. "Don't you think I would have told you if I saw it?" he asked, not backing down from her scorching glare, but instead giving one of his own. "Don't' you think I'd want to prevent this entire argument by confessing if I did it? Merlin, and why would I toss the papers? Why, Krissy? There's no valid reason!"

"Yes, well, valid reasons don't seem to be anything of your concern," Krissy snapped, gathering a pile of books on the table that was separating them.

Harry sighed, exasperated once more. "What do you mean, now?" he said sounding tired and lost.

"You know precisely what I mean!"

"No, Krissy, I don't," Harry insisted, bewildered.

"Euh!," she said in irritation. "Was it not you who convinced the children that bloodlines mean nothing? That pureblood families are nothing but, oh, what was the word the used? Curmudgeons, was it?"

"Krissy, I don't know where they even got that idea! We walked in the Hospital Room together and heard them exclaiming it at the same time."

"Honestly, Harry, if you're going to be dishonest, at least give me the coursity of using some acting skills."

"Krissy, you're being unreasonable! First Michael and now me! Can't you understand that we've done nothing to you! Nothing!"

"You, Potter, are the one who-"

And that was where Karissa stopped, breathing heavily, and still glaring into hard emerald eyes. She glanced around, surveying the situation.

She and Harry were in the empty library, piles and shelves of books surrounding them from the sides and from the ground. They were facing each other, standing on either side of a table that held books and salvaged papers that were burnt beyond use.

They stared at each other for a moment in silence, both gaining their tempers once more, but annoyance still in place.

Harry let out a deep breath, one hand running through his hair.

Karissa released one of the hands gripping the table, putting it on her hip and looking down her nose at the floor.

There was an awkward silence that filled the room. In seconds they went from screaming at each other, to suddenly noticing whom they were fighting with, and how poor their argument's subject was placed.

"Look, Harry," Karissa said quietly, the fire gone in her voice. She looked up at him and noticed that he had been gazing at her with an expression she couldn't recognize.

She felt a sudden lurch in her stomach, as if her insides were twisting around each other.

"I must be going. I shall see you on Monday at work," she finished, trying to ignore how that look intensified as she spoke. Karissa moved quickly, collecting her bag and books, and practically running from the room.

"Karissa," Harry said, only a half second after she spoke. But the girl was already walking away from him.

When she turned, she opened her mouth slightly as if to say something. But her mind was quickly changed, and she turned without smiling, with replying.

"I think it might be working," Sirius said, speaking low so that only Ron would hear. "None of the children will tell who's been speaking to them. That's gotta cause some sort of stir."

Ron nodded. "I've already been in the library. Bit hard with Harry right behind the bookcases with the kids, but I managed to throw something in the fire."

"What was it?"

"Dunno. Looked pretty important though. I've seen Karissa carrying it around with her and working on it during mealtimes."

"Merlin help us if it's a bloody love note," Sirius muttered, mostly to himself. "Good job on that."

"Yeah, I-" Ron abruptly cut himself off, turning his attention to the figure that just walked in. "Harry, hey, what's up, mate? You look terrible."

"I'm fine," said Harry, running another hand through his hair. "I just need some air."

"Want me to come with you? I'm already on break. We could play a round of Quidditch."

Harry shook his head. "No- maybe later. I just- I reckon I need time to think. See you later." And with that, he walked through the greenhouse that the three of them were in, and out the side door.

Ron stared after him, a scowl twisting his face as he looked down moodily. "He's changing," the redhead muttered grumpily. "She's changing him. He always used to be honest with me about this stuff. And Quidditch always clears his mind."

"I reckon he doesn't want his mind cleared, then," Sirius said, still looking at the door his godson had exited from. "There was some things worth stressing about now."

Ron only grumbled in response, crossing his arms.

Outside, Harry sighed, taking in the castle grounds. With that, he began to walk. Not stopping. Walking until his feet ached and his stomach was growling with hunger. He was searching for something, yes, but he was also thinking.

Thinking about none other than Karissa Black.

A/N

I know I made Sirius and Ron very unlikable here, but that'll be explained later on

I know this is very short, but, again I wanted to stick to the 13th deadline. BUT, I do intend to complete this. I know I promised certain things to be in this chapter, and they will be. This is only part one of the chapter- as labeled. I understand that some people will be quite irate when they discover how short and unfinished this seems, and I apologize for that. Believe me, if this was a story I was reading, I would definitely be annoyed with the person writing this. But, as I said, I do intend to finish it ON the 13th, rather than before. So, if any of you interperated my 'UPDATE' chapter as meaning that there will be a new chapter by the 13th, you are right and I'm glad I won't be disappointing you. If you saw the 'UPDATE' chapter as having it up be 12:00 on every 13th, again, I'm sorry for the short chapter

Either way, I apologize for the short chapter, and I hope I can make the long wait worth it by making part 2 amazing by tomorrow.

Thanks for reading, please review you opinions- good or bad

Thank you again, papindlovu, for your support.


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